A Message for You [Hardcover]

Nicolle Meyer (Author), Shelly Verthime (Author), Guy Bourdin (Photographer)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 21, 2008 | ISBN-10: 3865211976 | ISBN-13: 978-3865211972 | Edition: First Edition

With the eye of a painter and the freedom of a photographer, Guy Bourdin created images full of fascinating stories, compositions, and colors. Using fashion and fashion photography as his vehicle, he explored the realms between the absurd and the sublime, taking cues from the theater and Surrealism. Along the way he became famous for his suggestive narratives and fantastic aesthetics--he broke conventions of commercial photography with a relentless perfectionism and sharp humor. Given total creative freedom, Bourdin captured the imagination of a generation. The late 1970s, recognized as the highest note in Bourdin's career, are the focal point of this two-volume edition. Volume I is dedicated to the legendary, nearly forgotten images he made with Nicolle Meyer as his model, and to their rarely seen variants. Meyer appeared in over 30 of his famous campaigns for Charles Jourdan and in iconic French Vogue editorials. Volume II is a road trip through Bourdin's visual landscape, a collage of images mapping his artistic search and vision. Texts, Polaroids, poems, sketches and contact sheets unfold in time with Nicolle Meyer's memories, and inscribe moments of Bourdin's working process that would otherwise be lost. To this day, Guy Bourdin, remains an enigma, and he leaves a provocative and compelling legacy. A Message for You examines that oeuvre and, perhaps more importantly, it provides insight into the complex workings of the photographer's mind.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 312 pages
• Publisher: Steidl; First Edition edition (November 21, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 3865211976
• ISBN-13: 978-3865211972
• Product Dimensions: 11.9 x 11.2 x 2.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,383,271 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Beautiful Bourdin book focusing on Nicolle Meyer, September 23, 2007

By 

David T. Sherman (Colorado Springs, CO USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: A Message for You (Hardcover)

This book (or books, since it is 2 volumes together) consists mainly of Bourdin's photos of Nicolle Meyer, taken between 1977 and 1980.

Volume I has 75 color photos, and each one has its own page. Each photo is only about half the size of the page, but having said that, none of them seem too small. They all seem about the right size and fit well with the feel of the book. Almost every photo contains Nicolle in one form or another, which is definitely not a bad thing, because she is a beautiful woman and a great subject.

Volume II has 133 pages. Most of them are photos, but some of them are text. The text tells about Bourdin, Nicolle Meyer, and the process that went into the photographs, among other things. The size of the photos varies more in Volume II than in Volume I. Some photos are the full size of the page, and sometimes there are multiple small images on one page. There aren't quite as many photos of Nicolle in this volume, but she is still the primary model.

I am not very familiar with Bourdin's other books, but in my opinion, this is a must-have for any fan of Bourdin. Both volumes are beautifully packaged and contain a box to keep them together. I can't say for sure, but I would assume that there are a lot of photographs in this album that are difficult to find anywhere else. One of my favorite photography books.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Essential For Fashion Photography Collectors, August 18, 2009

By 

W. Rosen "chickendog" (USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: A Message for You (Hardcover)

Guy Bourdin was way ahead of his time and has influenced many of the "raw" photographers like Juergen Teller and Terry Richardson. His images were a little shocking and edgy and this comprehensive two book set gives a great look at his fashion images. Full color work that feels like it would work today if used in an advertising campaign. There are very few books available on Bourdin's work and this is easily the best one available.

0 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Guy Bourdin, August 11, 2008

By 

O. S. Derlig "O.S.D" (Los Angeles, CA, USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: A Message for You (Hardcover)

This book is an amazing addition to my collection of fotography books. Guy Bourdin is one of my favorite photographers of the last centry. From the layout to the impeccable print technique, I do enjoy the book!