Customer Reviews

Bill Henson: Lux et Nox

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Bill Henson is, to my mind, one of the most suggestive and enigmatic photographers of his time. Interestingly he has not selected many of his pictures for this volume. All of them belong to the 1997-2002 period and this tells us of his painful effort to "forget" and renounce to his previous and doubtlessly excellent work. The photos depict landscapes (if possible to call them so...) and portraits with a superb reproduction quality, very akin to his original and fragile C-type prints.

Henson is a manierist as Caravaggio, Murnau or Lynch are. Their "marks" and mise-en-scène are self-evident on their works. Henson is a master of light but, rather than light, of darkness. Cinema and painting are Henson's sources. Critics talk of transition, metamorphosis, disappearance, birth. Henson's nox (night) has the fullest meaning possible and that is because darkness has an entity on its own: a fifth element. Poetically speaking, darkness shines in the same paradoxical way as a black hole devours light. Darkness made tangible. Darkness as a symbol of the mysterious unseen, of the unknown.

Some people are afraid of the dark and fear kills their human nature. Others look into the dark with eyes wide open, full of hope and emotion. If you see yourself in the latter, do not miss this sublime book. Images talk for themselves so no essays are added. [...]

Henson's coffee table book on pre-teen urban lassitude is a very pretty chapter in his long and lustrous career. Sumptuous nocturns, and interstitial urban zones for forbidden groping, underage drinking and driving - the alley, the drain, under the freeway - familiar props for Henson's fans. The painterly sfumato, the 'stagelit' trees and grainy, graffitied concrete walls seem impossibly tasteful and in exact measure to the questions we ask ourselves, thumbing the alternative pages of sullen-skinned, sombre adolescents of indeterminate gender. A long night's journey by the humming city, where, with the sun hinting on the final page, not much has really happened: crysalids awaken! For more on art visit>rodmoss.com

As someone fortunate enough to actually own several of Bill Henson's photographs (measuring appx. 6 feet by 5 feet) I was a bit skeptical that his work would translate well in book form. I was dead wrong ~ and more than impressed with the publisher for getting it right. A large book, with few words ~ one has to let the work speak for itself ~ and does it ever. I have collected hundreds of photography books in my lifetime and consider Lux et Nox in the top 10. A must have for anyone who enjoys moody, mysterious, exquisitely beautiful,large scale photographic work. Bill Henson is a master printer, and someone who deserves a lot more attention in the American market than he has received.

I purchased "Mnemosyne" by Henson, which was published in 2005. Pages 446-493 of that book have color photos from various untitled series 1994/95-2003/04 of adolescents and outdoor scenes at night. They struck chords in me concerning innocence vs. experience, loneliness vs. togetherness, darkness vs. light, voyeurism vs. compassion, youth vs. age, and so forth.

Because this book (which is unfortunately out-of-print as of mid-2005) covers similar territory, I bought it. It has received a lot of praise (e.g., it's been described as "sumptuous," "hauntingly beautiful," etc., and the 10/2005 issue of Photo District News [PDN, a magazine for professional photographers] named it one of the 30 "most captivating and influential photography books" from 1999-2004). I agree with everything positive that's been written about this book.

In addition, however, I believe that "Lux et Nox" (which I'll call "L") is worth obtaining because it complements "Mnemosyne" (which I'll call "M") in many ways. M has 501 pages on a number of series of color and B&W photos, while L has 175 pages with only color photos that are thematically related. Some of the images are the same in the two books (e.g., M448-449=L84-85, M451=L105, M452-453=L168-169, M454=L45, M456-457=L146-147, M463=L25, M469=L139, M470-471=L54-55, M472=L165, M476=L76), and others are similar. However, L's reproductions are about 3 times larger, the color and brightness of some of L's reproductions are somewhat different than M's, several dozen photos in M are not in L, and many dozens of photos in L are not in M. L has hardly any text, while M has 15 interspersed articles etc.

L is better than M in two respects: it is larger in format (42cm wide by 29cm high), and its covers are sturdier than M's. Buy "used & new" copies from Amazon.com!

Bill Henson is an Australian artist with a well-earned reputation as a passionate and visionary photographer. His images explore the twilight zones separating day and night, nature and civilization, youth and adulthood, male and female. His use of light and composition transform photography into a genuine art form while providing the viewer with insights and memorable impressions beyond the boundaries of static rationalism. Drawing from twenty-five years of photographic efforts, Lux Et Nox showcases the best of this master photographer's work to date. Lux et Nox is very highly recommended for students of photography and an invaluable addition to professional and academic Photography collections.

It's rare when you find a book that translates the quality of an actual photo print so well, each page looks as if it had just come from the photo lab! Lux et Nox introduced me to the genius and allure of Bill Henson's work. His use of composition, light and subject matter draw you in, craving more. The book is large enough to truly appreciate Bill Henson's sublime photography. If you ever walk into a normal book store, you most likely won't find this beautiful book, it's wonderful you can find it here at amazon. I would highly recommend you seek out Bill Henson's work, he's a native Australian that deserves much praise and celebration in the States.

Delighted to receive this book in such superb condition. Quick and efficient delivery. Thank you.