Abe Frajndlich: Portraits

by Phoebe Hoban and Abe Frajndlich

A glance through Frajndlich's portfolio portraits is like a stroll down Hollywood Boulevard's Walk of Fame--but with a twist. His subjects, among them movie stars, directors, rock 'n roll legends, and... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 3791324063
• ISBN13: 9783791324067
• Release Date: September 2000
• Publisher: Prestel Publishing
• Length: 96 Pages
• Weight: 2.25 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.7" x 9.7" x 12.1"

Customer Reviews

Multiple Dimensions of Self-Reflection in Photo Portraiture

Review Summary: "If photography captures a moment, Abe Frajndlich's portraiture choreographs one." The best portraits in this book reveal many levels about the person's history, artistic work, and self-perceptions. It is as though Rembrandt had asked his subjects to help him compose the portraits he painted, down to selecting the objects and background to be present. Although at his best the work is very sublime, it can be superficial at its worst. This book contains examples of both. The quality of the images' compositions, reproductions, and posing are generally quite high. The serendipity of relying on the subject to help create the portrait obviously provides variable results. Review: Mr. Frajndlich did not set out to become a photographer but grew into his calling when his mentor, Minor White, encouraged him to "tune me into listening to my own voice." The ancient tradition of portrait painting whereby the subject is explained in part by symbols, clothing, and setting moves forward here in a more obvious way, that often has humorous overtones. The cover portrait of the book, for example, is an image of actor Jack Lemmon, a well-known comedian, showing himself doing a sight gag that refers back to his last name. The images are "loaded" so that you are observing a "kind of photographic pantomime." Ms. Phoebe Hoban in her introduction observes that there are usually "nuanced references for the cogniscenti." She points out that the Roy Lichtenstein portrait has him holding a wallpaper brush dripping with red paint rather than a paint brush. This is a reference to the work he did to help the family earn a living doing wallpaper hanging in his wife's decorating business. Those who are familiar with Mr. Lichtenstein's work will also recall that he uses images like wallpaper paste strokes in some of his paintings. So the references shoot back and forth, intersecting to say a great deal about Mr. Lichtenstein.As a result of his specialty, Mr. Frajndlich has become known as "the artists' photographer" for many "famous cultural figures." Here are some of my favorites from the book:Yoko Ono, artist, with Andy Warhol's John Lennon, New York City, January 21, 1994;Red Grooms, artist, Los Angeles, California, March 12, 1986;Tom Wolfe, writer, New York City, January 11, 1990;Frank Gehry, architect, Venice, California, November 17, 1987;Harold Edgerton, inventor, Cambridge, Massachusetts, March 15, 1986;Roy Lichtenstein, artist, New York City, November 14, 1985; andCindy Sherman, artist, New York City, March 27, 1987. The process Mr. Frajndlich normally employs is to arrive to photograph the subject without any preconceived ideas. He shares his openness on this subject, and tries to draw out the person being photographed. The result is usually a collaboration between subject and photographer. Presumably those who go for simple objects without multiple meanings do not want to reveal very much about themselves, which suggests an intens

portraits,Abe Franjdlich

As a photographer,a collector and one interested in portrait photography,I find Portraits an interesting approach to the art. His approach is to engage his subject in a collaberative effort by making reference to,commenting on,or joking about the subject and/or their work. When successful the result is a shift in perspective away from the formal sufficient to provide a glimse behind the curtain,therby revealing a dimension not usually seen in similar work.