Abelardo Morell

[Shawn Rahman]

I have the luxury of being two blocks away from ICP in Manhattan, and often spend my lunch hours browsing through the books there. At ICP I discovered some of my favorite photographers: Robert Adams, Callahan, and George Tice.

Add Abelardo Morell to this list. I can't believe I haven't discovered Morell's work before; I remember browsing through "A Book of Books" last year and was very impressed by the photography, but somehow didn't take real note of the photographer at the time.

Morell's monograph was released a few weeks ago, and it is simply dazzling. I've been thinking about the book almost nonstop since purchasing it - Morell does so many things so well, especially still lifes. I am not crazy about the Camera Obscura shots which have apparently garnered him a good deal of fame, but everything in the book is stunning work.

After doing some research I discovered that he spends just as much time in the darkroom as he does behind the lens, attesting to his printing as well.

Any other Morell fans here?

 

[matt miller]

Definitely on my favorites list. I'd love to see more of his stuff.

 

[David A. Goldfarb]

That paper bag is one of my favorites. I also love _A Camera in a Room_. I saw a show of his work in Chicago not long ago at the Art Institute.

 

[Struan Gray]

I love him too. The water alphabet and the paper bag are probably my favourite images.

Some of the pdf articles on his website (www.abelardomorell.net) have some interesting things to say about photography in general, as well as his work in particular.

 

[Samuel West Hiser]

"Like!" ... as we say now.

... and all the chaps you mention (particularly Adams). Recently found a very nice little book of George Tice by David Godine ...

Selected Photographs ...

(Godine's love of photography shows.)

There's an engaging lecture Abe shares with his colleague, Laura McPhee, an exegesis of ...

Dutch Painting: The Poetry of Everyday Life

... in which Abe takes the entertaining angle that Dutch still-lifes are intriquing because there's always something just out of place and he spies a latent sadism where something on the table is always cut into by the knife or that the knife never seems quite innocent. (Of course, Mamet would smile at the observation).

Wonderful stuff!

Abe's book on books is also very interesting.

 

[removed account4]

i met him at risd last year.
his work is beautiful
and he is a really nice person too

 

[SuzanneR]

If your still in New York he's giving a talk on Friday, October 29th at 1:15pm at the PDN Photo Plus Expo. There's also a documentary film... In the Shadow of the House, that you might look up.

 

[doughowk]

Great images. His DVD is very helpful for showing how he works. He's also featured as the opening photographer in the BBC series "Genius of Photography"

 

[Toffle]

What interesting and challenging work. Wonderfully creative photographs.

 

[jovo]

Check out his current exhibit at Bonni Benrubi Gallery in the Fuller Building (57th St and Madison Avenue)...terrific work.