Bruce Davidson: Central Park [Hardcover]

Marie Winn (Author), Bruce Davidson (Photographer), Elizabeth Barlow Rogers (Contributor)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 15, 2005

Bruce Davidson, intrepid explorer of the urban terrain, has taken on a project of extraordinary visual and metaphorical scope. His approach to Central Park's wildlife--human and otherwise--varies as much in format as it does in emotional quality; Davidson discovers a multiplicity of mysteries, eccentricities, and characters, a microcosm of the remarkable city of which Central Park is the heart.

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

Out-of-town visitors may think that Central Park is off-limits, that it is full of, not necessarily lions and tigers and bears, but at least bandits, which may be true at 3 a.m.; however, in daylight hours, Manhattanites of all persuasions flock to this beloved green space, to make love, jog, watch and be watched, lie scantily clothed in the sun, or, unfortunately in some cases, set up housekeeping under a cardboard roof. Activities find certain limitations in winter, but some of the most arresting shots in this black-and-white album of what people do in Central Park, by an exceptionally talented and much-exhibited photographer, were taken against winter's blanket of snow. No chamber-of-commerce glorifying of city life here, but no unfair disparagement of it, either--Davidson's sharply focused photographs speak of a love of the diversity of human preoccupation and of the wonderful irony inherent in the very fact of Central Park's existence: that woods and meadows and ponds occur in the midst of one of the world's most intense urban areas. Any reader with an eye for evocative photography, particularly of the nuance of texture that only the black-and-white medium can achieve, will enjoy Davidson's photos. Brad Hooper

Review

"...Davidson has managed to reveal the park's mystery and beauty in 'Central Park,' a compilation of black-and-white photos." -- Joslyn Yang -- New York Post --This text refers to the Paperback edition.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 128 pages
• Publisher: Aperture; 1st edition (June 15, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0893816256
• ISBN-13: 978-0893816254
• Product Dimensions: 12.1 x 9.9 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.6 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,547,837 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Central View of "Central Park", August 14, 2000

By 

Michael B. Richman (Portland, Maine USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Bruce Davidson: Central Park (Hardcover)

Bruce Davidson's "Central Park" is a compelling look at one of the world's most unique urban places. Unlike "Brooklyn Gang" or "Portraits," Davidson shoots his subjects here with a wide-angle panoramic camera. The result is fascinating as the images meld odd angles, distorted bodies and expansive views, and at no point does it come across as cliched or gimmicky. Instead, the photographs are hopeful, intimate, and revealing. Davidson shows us some of the park's secret places, but mostly he has discovered, through his visual explorations, the secret of what makes Central Park an essential part of New York life.