Between the Eyes: Essays on Photography and Politics [Hardcover]

David Levi Strauss (Author), John Berger (Introduction)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 15, 2005

Persuasive and Poetic Writing On Photography and Photographers

In Between the Eyes: Essays on Photography, David Levi Strauss tackles subjects ranging from “Photography and Propaganda” to the imagery of dreams; from Sebastião Salgado’s epic social documents to the deeply personal photographic revelations of Francesca Woodman. The timely issue of photographic legitimacy is addressed in the essay “Photography and Belief,” and in “The Highest Degree of Illusion,” Strauss discusses the media frenzy surrounding the events of September 11th.

These essays have been published in a broad range of magazines, including Aperture, Artforum, and The Nation. David Levi Strauss is a writer whose visual and intellectual sensibilities are both acute and encompassing. His previous publications include Between Dog and Wolf: Essays on Art and Politics and Broken Wings: The Legacy of Landmines (a collaboration with photographer Bobby Neel Adams). The collection of essays in Between the Eyes reveals that Strauss’s thinking on photography is provocative, lively, and relevant.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

In her recent book Regarding the Pain of Others, Susan Sontag concludes that an aesthetic reaction is part of the viewer's experience of even shots of extreme pain or violence. Written more than 10 years ago, the lead piece of these 18 essays on photography weighs in on aestheticization and also finds that, even in "social documentary" photographs, "aestheticization" is one of the ways that disparate peoples recognize themselves in one another." Yet despite the similar subject matter and terminology, poet and critic Levi Strauss carves out unique and convincing critical terrain in this follow-up to Between Dog and Wolf, his previous collection of critical meditations. Most of these pieces were written during the '90s and published as review essays on the work of Ania Bien, Miguel Rio Branco, Alfredo Jaar, Joel-Peter Witkin, Francesca Woodman and others; also included are an interview with painter Leon Golub (who works from photographs) and an introduction from critical eminence John Berger. "Photography and Propaganda," a study of the work and deaths in '80s Central America of photojournalists Richard Cross and John Hoagland, should be required reading in the age of embeddedness, and "Photography and Belief" is a terrific meditation on truth in the age of digital manipulation, which leads to an investigation of why many people thought images of September 11 "looked like a movie." Thoughtful and firm, these reflections seem more vital than ever.
Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Review

"Tackling subjects that range from photography and propaganda to the imagery of dreams, epic social documents to personal photographic revelations, Between the Eyes comprises eighteen of Strauss's persuasive and poetic writings on photography and photographers, accompanied by numerous black and white illustrations." --HotShoe International

"From true stories of optimistic photographers struggling to use their craft to help the oppressed, to the stunning impact that cameras any layperson can easily use have had upon photography as a whole, Between The Eyes is an insightful, contemplative, tightly written set of discussions, illustrated with a handful of well-chosen photographic images." --Bookwatch

"Contradictions at the heart of photography, such as the camera's capacity to salvage beauty from dreadful situations, come in for serious reflection in Between the Eyes: Essays on Photography and Politics by former San Franciscan David Levi Strauss." --The San Francisco Chronicle

"All photographs become a query sent out into the world, their effect unknown. In Strauss's own query, politics is not politics as usual. It is that place where being and society converge, powerfully expressed in the passion of the photographer's own aesthetic. Strauss makes a compelling case for still believing in the truth of photography." -- Shawn O'Sullivan --B&W Magazine

"...in essence, truth is what Strauss' essays are about: the sad truth about the limitations of the news media, the horrible truth about the proliferation of land mines in Cambodia and the devastation unleashed on its people, and the pathetic truth about the scandal of silence that surrounded the massacres in Rwanda in 1994... The truth can be a tough read, but do read this book--it is an eye-opener." --THE Magazine --This text refers to the Paperback edition.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 224 pages
• Publisher: Aperture (June 15, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1931788103
• ISBN-13: 978-1931788106
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 5.6 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,794,684 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

David Levi Strauss writes frequently for "Aperture." His books include "Between the Eyes: Essays On Photography and Politics" and "Between Dog & Wolf: Essays on Art and Politics." He is Chair of the graduate program in Art Criticism and Writing at the School of Visual Arts in New York City.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An anthology of stimulating, serious-minded essays about the interplay of photography and politics, February 5, 2006

By 

Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Between The Eyes: Essays On Photography And Politics (Paperback)

New York writer, critic, and poet David Levi Strauss presents, Between The Eyes: Essays On Photography And Politics, an anthology of stimulating, serious-minded essays about the interplay of photography and politics, as well as hot-button topics and lasting social issues pertaining to both. A handful of chapters are not independent essays per se, but rather interviews with experienced photographers. From "Where the Camera Cannot Go" to "A Threnody for Street Kids", "Photography and Propaganda" and much more, each writing lays bare the core of photography and politics - or sometimes, the core of the author. From true stories of optimistic photographers struggling to use their craft to help the oppressed, to the stunning impact that cameras any layperson can easily use have had upon photography as a whole, Between The Eyes is an insightful, contemplative, tightly written set of discussions, illustrated with a handful of well-chosen photographic images.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Writing About Photography, June 10, 2008

By 

J. Geller (brooklyn,NY) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Between The Eyes: Essays On Photography And Politics (Paperback)

Abu Ghraib: The Politics of Torture (The Terra Nova Series)
This book is not only theory but personal and intelligent thoughts from David Levi Strauss about what photographers' images are saying, what their audience is hearing and how sometimes the two are not the same. The essays are short and written plainly but eloquent. Excellent addition to your photography library.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An anthology of stimulating, serious-minded essays about the interplay of photography and politics, February 5, 2006

By 

Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Between The Eyes: Essays On Photography And Politics (Paperback)

New York writer, critic, and poet David Levi Strauss presents, Between The Eyes: Essays On Photography And Politics, an anthology of stimulating, serious-minded essays about the interplay of photography and politics, as well as hot-button topics and lasting social issues pertaining to both. A handful of chapters are not independent essays per se, but rather interviews with experienced photographers. From "Where the Camera Cannot Go" to "A Threnody for Street Kids", "Photography and Propaganda" and much more, each writing lays bare the core of photography and politics - or sometimes, the core of the author. From true stories of optimistic photographers struggling to use their craft to help the oppressed, to the stunning impact that cameras any layperson can easily use have had upon photography as a whole, Between The Eyes is an insightful, contemplative, tightly written set of discussions, illustrated with a handful of well-chosen photographic images.