Opinion: February 2019
From out of the blue
Volume one of Anna Atkins’ beautiful study of British algae, issued in 1843, was the first ever…
Awkward objects
The tradition of the painted still life has been reinvented by contemporary photographers with pictures…
Streets without people
Visual culture, Critique / Photography
Emigre’s Rudy VanderLans explores the clotted terrain of Tokyo’s Shibuya and Shinjuku districts with the…
Hole in the head
An artful book of deliberately torn, anonymous photographs from the Cold War era leaves many questions…
Cinematic view
A recent edition of Aperture examines the enduring affinity between two art forms. Photo Critique by Rick…
Twisting the alien
Reviews, Visual culture, Critique / Photography
Set to minimalist techno, Arthur Jafa’s APEX is a cycle of images that illuminate the condition of black…
Scenes from an imperfect world
Visual culture, Critique / Photography
Even Don McCullin expressed doubts about his photographs of war and suffering. What is their message…
Emotion pictures
Alex Prager’s ravishing tableaux mix glamour and unease. Photo Critique by Rick Poynor
Mining the ruins
When petrol replaced coal, the island of Hashima lost its purpose and slowly decayed. Rick Poynor…