Madagascar (Photo & Sexy Books) [Hardcover]

Gian Paolo Barbieri (Author), Michel Tournier (Introduction)

Book Description

Series: Photo & Sexy Books | Publication Date: May 1, 1997

A photographic story of Madagascar.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 128 pages
• Publisher: Taschen; First Edition edition (May 1, 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 3822882623
• ISBN-13: 978-3822882627
• Product Dimensions: 12.9 x 10.6 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.8 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 2.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,939,547 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #29 in Books > Travel > Africa > Madagascar & Comoros

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars How to Exploit People for Your Own Ends: A Primer, April 28, 2000

By 

Robert S. Newman "Bob Newman" (Marblehead, Massachusetts USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Madagascar (Photo & Sexy Books) (Hardcover)

Having travelled in Madagascar, I was very interested to see Barbieri's book, MADAGASCAR, advertised by a bargain books dealer. I've always been fascinated by that faraway red island of Afro-Indonesian culture, lemurs, and chameleons. Since I'd read a number of good books about the place, none of which had extraordinary pictures, I thought this book would be an excellent addition to my small collection. I thought wrong.

While I have to admit that Mr. Barbieri is an excellent photographer, with long experience in the world of fashion, I took strong objection to his way of portraying Madagascar. Some magnificent photographs of the world of nature, some portraits, and a few pictures of unusual objects are interspersed with what can only be described as homo-erotic photographs. I have nothing against that either, a Mapplethorpe is a necessary part of modern culture. What I DO object to is such photographs being in any way called "a picture of Madagascar" with absolutely no personal agenda mentioned. This is totally dishonest. Thus, this is a very dishonest book. Producing self-indulgent romantic fantasies is fine if the audience is aware of what is being done, but to pass off such stuff as being "about" a poor country inhabited by hospitable, cheerful people with intricate customs and traditions, people who are extremely modest in dress and behavior for the most part---this is an exercise in exploitation. At the very least we should have been told how these pictures were made. In colonial times, many writers and artists produced romantic works about far off colonies. These were then used to show how "happy and contented" the people were under colonial rule. In the introduction, reference is made to Paradise ! Give me a break ! What is the agenda here ? If someone says, "Come on, man, it's just a great collection of pictures." then they have failed to grasp the cultural dialogues of the last 40 years, they cannot see how people with technology and media access can so easily exploit those without. I absolutely don't recommend this book.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Beautiful, exploitative and missing something...., February 24, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: Madagascar (Photo & Sexy Books) (Hardcover)

Barbieri's book is full of stunning photos that obviously exploit the Malagasy. Sadly, he does the Malagasy people no justice whatsoever. This poverty-stricken population isn't always this serious; they are some of the most soulful, hopeful people I have ever met and have gorgeous, smiling eyes and faces. The DIS-service Barbieri does them is because he didn't do his homework. If he had, he would have found out a)they are Malagasy, not Madagascan and b)their beauty is best portrayed in natural settings, not ridiculous, dramatic poses. Remember, however, that this is a "coffee-table" book, not the news; the truth is a very different story. I'm curious as to whether the other reader/reviewer has been to Mad, or are her/his views the result of political correctness? Was s/he serious about the fashion model comment? Manual labor yields physical strength - the Malagasy work hard I saw plenty of 6-pack abs and sculpted physiques there.

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars A photographer!?!? with questionnable intellectual honesty, July 19, 2001

By 

"jerkbuster" (Washington, DC) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Madagascar (Hardcover)

I meant to give a rating below 1 Star but since this is the lowest, I hope that potential readers won't throw away their hard earned cash in buying this book. If you still want to buy it, go to your local bookstore as you will have a greater chance of finding a DUSTY copy of this book: ... ... G.P. Barbieri is without contest a good snapshooter if one judges it from the TECHNICAL quality of his work. But where he fails is in his intellectual honesty: How could ... a book [like this be about ]Madagascar if it only contains mediocre nude or semi-nude works done at few huts at the shore of Madagascar? I think and agree with many readers ... that not only exploited and disrespected his subjects by including them in the wrong publication, but he has also made a disservice for all photographers out there who at least have the decency of intellectual honesty and respect to the art. But then, ... what is art and what isn't?