Hector Acebes: Portraits in Africa, 1948-1953 [Hardcover]

Hector Acebes (Author, Photographer)

Book Description

Publication Date: July 2004

Photographing with the box camera his father had given him, Hector Acebes noticed as a teenager in the 1930s that his pictures of friends and family were consistently sharper and more carefully composed than those taken by his schoolmates. This innate talent, combined with solid training in engineering and an attraction to adventure, eventually grew into a long and productive career as a documentary and industrial filmmaker. It is Acebes' still photographs from his travels in the late 1940s and early 1950s throughout Africa and South American, however, that may become his most important legacy. With the respect they command for the individuals who appeared before his lens, these recently rediscovered images attest to Acebes' photographic gift. They offer a valuable resource for scholars and students of local societies and cultures in Africa and South America, yet their importance reverberates far beyond the classroom. Today, Acebes' images are recognized as fine art - works of beauty and grace that showcase the photographer's technical ability and masterful compositional skills. Even more evident are the confidence and respect he established with his subjects - qualities that shine through to elevate his work beyond the documentary. Acebes' portraits offer our jaded imaginations a fresh look at people, cultures, and experiences that have changed dramatically over the past fifty years. We see individuals, families, and communities set among monumental architecture, busy markets, and broad landscapes, all viewed from the passionate perspective of a young man, curious and captivated by the vigorous energy and beauty of what he saw. This book presents the exquisite work of Hector Acebes for the first time in monograph form. Over ninety striking images are richly reproduced in duotone. Ed Marquand, director of the Hector Acebes Archive, introduces Acebes in a brief biography. Isolde Brielmaier, a noted art historian of African photography, places Acebes' African work in the context of other photographers shooting in Africa at the time. She also discusses the qualities of Acebes' work that distinguish his photographs today. Hector Acebes is now in his eighties and lives in Bogota, Bolombia.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Hector Acebes is now in his eighties and lives in Bogota, Colombia.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 73 pages
• Publisher: University of Washington Press (July 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0295984139
• ISBN-13: 978-0295984131
• Product Dimensions: 12.4 x 10.2 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.8 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,410,995 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars africa, January 24, 2007

By 

patrick dauwe "africa explorer" (Belgium) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Hector Acebes: Portraits in Africa, 1948-1953 (Hardcover)

another collectors item for africa lovers and people,still phots of a africa who was unspoilt of tourist in those days

3 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Bringing a lasting access to Acebes's photographic artistry, September 6, 2004

By 

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

This review is from: Hector Acebes: Portraits in Africa, 1948-1953 (Hardcover)

The collaborative effort of Isolde Brielmaier (Visiting Professor of Art at Vassar College) and Ed Marquand (Director of the Hector Acebes Archive), Hector Acebes: Portraits In Africa, 1948-1953 showcases the photography of Acebes taken in Africa in 1948, 1949, and 1953. These black and white photographic images have justifiably been acclaimed as some of the most beautiful photographs of Africans ever taken. The images, however, were hidden away in Acebes' photography studio in Bogota, Columbia, and it was not until 2003 (when Acebes was 82 years old) that he had his first art gallery exhibition. With the publication of Hector Acebes: Portraits In Africa, 1948-1953, (which is enthusiastically recommended for personal, academic, and community library Photography Studies collections) full justice has now been accomplished with respect to bringing a lasting access to Acebes's photographic artistry to the general public.