Empire: Impressions from China (Imago Mundi series) [Hardcover]

Colin Jacobs (Author), Orville Schell (Author), James Whitlow Delano (Photographer)

Book Description

Series: Imago Mundi series | Publication Date: October 1, 2008

This collection of duotone photographs of contemporary China evokes the timeless spirit of this ancient and rapidly changing culture. The innate and mysterious details that make China unique are captured in fleeting facial expressions and gestures and in fragments of architecture and landscapes. The moving, highly personal view of China that emerges in these images typifies the strength of the human spirit and its ability to overcome adversity.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

James Whitlow Delano is a photographer who has contributed to Harper's, Interview, Outside, Time, and Travel & Leisure. He is the recipient of the 2000 Alfred Eisenstaedt Award. Orville Schell is the dean of the school of journalism of the University of California–Berkeley. He is the author of Virtual Tibet and the editor of The China Reader. He lives in Berkeley, California. Colin Jacobson heads the MA photography program at Falmouth College of Arts, Cornwall. He has written widely on contemporary photography.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 128 pages
• Publisher: 5Continents (October 1, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 8874391277
• ISBN-13: 978-8874391271
• Product Dimensions: 11.3 x 9.6 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,750,681 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars A for EFFORT!, September 13, 2005

By 

T. Gibbs (Belhaven, NC) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Empire: Impressions from China (Imago Mundi series) (Hardcover)

I'm thankful that some publisher was wise enough to feature James Whitlow Delano's work in his very own book. But I'm sorry it was Imago Mundi. Why couldn't it have been Phaidon, Scalo or Taschen? They could have really done his work some justice.

What are my complaints one might ask. Well my main issue with the book is the fact that the images are muddy and far darker than his work actually is. You see, I learned of this book in an interview with Delano on a DVD produced by LensWork magazine. The DVD, which is a far better investment than this book, goes into detail about Whitlow's career, his origins in photography and his influences. Unlike this book, the DVD also features 160 of his works and they are presented far better than anything in this book.

Do I recommend this book? Well not for anyone who's looking for an introduction to his. I would suggest LenWork's DVD/CD set or Delano's own website for that. But if you are a fan or collector then you probably wouldn't need my input to begin with. I would only urge someone to purchase this book in the hopes that Delano can benefit from the sales and continue to fund his future projects. Maybe if other publishers find that there is interest in publications of his works, then someone who is truely capable of producing a quality presentation may just step forward.

4.0 out of 5 stars Great Pictures, Shame about the Printing, April 9, 2008

By 

Gordon Ray (Atlanta GA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Empire: Impressions from China (Imago Mundi series) (Hardcover)

I love his work so I was pretty dissapointed in the printing quality in this book. I'm still giving this book 4 stars though because he's an exceptional photographer. I hope a quality publisher will do his next book though.

0 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Chronicle of a Death Foretold, September 21, 2005

By 

David Geraghty "David" (New Zealand) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Empire: Impressions from China (Imago Mundi series) (Hardcover)

I write this knowing that the Agfa paper James Delano has used so far in his career, is about to be discontinued -- like many of the rural locales he chronicles in this book. And there is no better elegy for Agfa's silver paper than this collection of images, where Delano uses the paper to breath-taking effect. The images have an elegiac quality, everyday Chinese moments that have been caught and wrapped with a shimmering, silver timelessness. My favourite is the rural woman crossing a wooden bridge with her two infants - black and white photography at its very best. Elsewhere, Delano has manually dodged the paper to near-black, forming blurred images that have the mystery and power of half-buried archetypes.

Agfa is gone, thank God for Ilford!