Saga: The Journey of Arno Rafael Minkkinen [Hardcover]

Arno Rafael Minkkinen (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 15, 2005

THIS IS THE LIMITED, BOXED, NUMBERED EDITION

Saga is the first major monograph of the work of Arno Minkkinen, published to accompany a series of exhibitions in the U.S. and Europe. Offering a comprehensive retrospective of this vital photographer's work, Saga gives new meaning to the self-portrait. Eschewing digital manipulation, Minkkinen juxtaposes his own body (and occasionally those of his family) with details in the landscape so that, in whole or in part, the human form collaborates with nature to create a work of lyrical beauty. Essays by a stellar roster of writers and scholarsnovelist Alan Lightman and critics A.D. Coleman and Arthur Dantoexplore the inner world of Minkkinen's pictures. Surreal and humorous, documentary and artful, the photographs of Arno Minkkinen leave the viewer moved and captivated.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

A self-described "trickster," since 1970 Finnish-American photographer Minkkinen has created images that whimsically explore the relationship between his naked body and nature. Many of his photographs deliberately deceive, making it appear as if his hands and feet are walking across water, say, or his arm extends the length of a canyon. The photographs gathered in this retrospective are organized around The Kalevala, Finland's national epic poem. In them, Minkkinen bends his body around trees, buries himself in snow and bends a knee to match the curve of a rock formation. There is an undeniable grace to the way Minkkinen uses his body to mimic nature—his images are often startling and at times beautiful. There is also, however, a lack of variety; the images taken in 1973 look much like the ones taken in 1999, and the thematic organization of the book makes it all the more difficult to trace any development in his style or technique. The book's essays—by noted art critics Arthur Danto and A.D. Coleman and novelist Alan Lightman—are eloquent, intelligent and well written. However, like Minkkinen's photographs, they try too hard to reposition the self-portrait as a running, whimsical dialogue with the physical world. (Nov.)
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About the Author

Arno Rafael Minkkinen was born in Helsinki in 1945. Raised in New York, he has had numerous international exhibitions and now teaches at the University of Massachusetts, Lowell. A.D. Coleman is a prolific writer of photographic history and criticism.

Arthur Danto is Emeritus Johnsonian Professor of Philosophy at Columbia University and art critic for The Nation. Alan Lightman is the author of The Good Benito and Einstein's Dreams.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 160 pages
• Publisher: Chronicle Books (September 15, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 081185146X
• ISBN-13: 978-0811851466
• Product Dimensions: 12.3 x 11.3 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.4 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #715,124 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars soulful and honest, August 4, 2006

By 

cody raymond (Denver, CO USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Saga: The Journey of Arno Rafael Minkkinen (Hardcover)

Arno Minkkinen shares his honest and singular vision as the era's premier self-portraitist. As honest and soulful as photography gets, this work goes against the modern trend of artifice and digital trickery. It is beautifully designed and printed, with excellent essays. A truly valuable find.

5.0 out of 5 stars the great arno, June 30, 2006

By 

jack kerr (northport, NY) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Saga: The Journey of Arno Rafael Minkkinen (Hardcover)

this is a brilliant book, no matter what angle you look from. the images are strange, beautiful, challenging, difficult to make, complex - all the good adjectives apply. on one hand, this artist's acclaim is long overdue, but on the other how lucky we are that a body of work over such a long period of life - generations so to speak, a photographer has been able to work at the highest level while flying somehow under the radar. from his teachers harry callahan and aaron siskind, he is also a fine teacher in their tradition.

5.0 out of 5 stars A former model who remains honored, March 2, 2006

By 

Robin Anne - See all my reviews

This review is from: Saga: The Journey of Arno Rafael Minkkinen (Hardcover)

Beautiful, intensely creative photographs tell an unusual story; amazingly captured by the poetry, a fully rounded and moving story is born.