Customer Reviews

Imogen Cunningham: Flora

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Out of all of the members of the famous Group f/64, Imogen Cunningham created the greatest body of floral still life work. This beautiful collection of images has been totally undermined by a horrible press run. It's a surprise that Bulfinch would even put their name on this book. Aperture should have probably printed it. Granted, the book has a gorgeous design, and the body of work chosen for the book is definitely of her greatest masterpieces. But, when all is said and done, the print is solely the photographer's art, and poor reproductions of a photograph, especially a "Group f/64" style photograph, renders the art ineffective.

Imogen Cunningham is one of my favorite photographers. So I was very disappointed when I saw the reproduction quality of the 92 duotone plates, 59 black-and-white photographs, and 8 color images. The ink is very heavy and dark on these succulent morsels, and almost all the images look like they are of vegetation from the vicinity of Mount St. Helens just after the eruption.

The book contains Ms. Cunningham's famous image of her husband undressed, so if such things offend you, skip over that page. The image is very small, so you'll hardly notice it unless you are looking hard for it.

The essay by Richard Lorenz is a fine one. It makes up for some of the reproduction problems. He captures the ambiguity of her work nicely in pointing out that the "paradox of expansion via reduction becomes vivid when one looks at the visual aspects of nature." This is the familiar fractal observation. Each level of detail is echoed in the next larger and smaller level of scale.

Stylistically, she "empowered her images by isolating her vegetation." What would be lost in a mass is curiously fresh and clear in solitary study. As a result, "negative space is as critical to the composition as the design elements." In fact, she "paralleled the objectivity of the Germans in her work" more so than any other Western photographer. Like Georgia O'Keeffe, she realized and portrays the erotic expressions in vegetation.

Here are my favorite images from the book (as reproduced here):

At Point Lobos, 1921 (like Weston); Thorn Apple, about 1921; Tree at Donner Pass, 1925 (like Weston); Calla, about 1925 (like an O'Keeffe); Colletta Cruciata 7, 1929; Flowering Cactus, about 1930; Calla with Leaf, about 1930; Blossom of Protea, 1935; Fuscha, 1940; Fireworks Plant, 1965; Araujia, 1953; Hand and Leaf of Voodoo Lily. The notes to each image contain horiticultural information.

Ms. Cunningham was "skeptical of physical beauty." Where does nature agree with her? Where can you gain by retaining skepticism, even as you enjoy beauty?

Don't give up on Ms. Cunningham's work. Just go look at it elsewhere!

This collection compiled by Richard Lorenz of the Imogen Cunningham Trust is a must for any photographer. When one considers that Imogen Cunningham began her career in an era of big, bulky cameras and had to develop her own work, she is quite amazing. This book gives an overview of her 70-year career which is also amazing. It belongs in every library, public or private.

The pictures are exquisite, her mind was constantly creating, and of course, her lens was always capturing... Imogen Cunningham has done it again with another magnificent collection of her images of life. A must-have for any Cunningham collector...