The month of March has long been dedicated to women as a chance to recognize women’s varied and often under-recognized accomplishments throughout history. This March, as we embrace gender equity, we also celebrate the undeniable strength, capability and uniqueness of women. So here are some books that offer a peek into life from the unique perspective of several women photographers.
[ WOMEN PHOTOGRAPHERS ]
Women have been pioneering photographers since the earliest days of the art form. This expertly curated set of three volumes in the renowned Photofile series brings together 190 women photographers from all over the world, working in all styles and genres. From the imaginative experiments of the 19th century to the thriving art movements of the 20th century and on to the digital world of the 21st century, this rich and diverse overview explores the work of some of the greatest photographers of all time.
[ KOPI SUSU: A JOURNEY THROUGH 80 PHOTOGRAPHS ]
Soraya Yusof Talismail is one of Malaysia’s foremost fine-art photographers. Upon graduating from the MARA Institute of Technology, Soraya established her career early as a portraiture photographer, but the artist in her itched to explore other genres of the medium. This is Soraya’s first publication of her collection of landscapes, structures and still life, taken in the span of three decades. Through these 80 photographs, we trace her photographic journey along the years.
[ THE COLOR WORK ]
This is the first monograph of colour photographs by American street photographer Vivian Maier. Her allure endures even though many details of her life continue to remain a mystery. Her story – the secretive Chicago nanny whose work was discovered in two storage lockers up for auction as a result of her failure to pay the rent – has only been pieced together from the thousands of images she made and the handful of facts that have surfaced about her life. This is the largest and most highly curated collection of Maier’s full-colour photographers published to date.
[ MONA KUHN: WORKS ]
Over a career spanning more than twenty years, Mona Kuhn’s underlying theme has always been humanity’s longing for spiritual connection and solidarity. She is renowned for developing close relationships with her subjects, resulting in images of remarkable intimacy. Her use of playful visual strategies reveals glimpses into the psyche as it is expressed through the human form, ultimately reinterpreting the nude in the canon of contemporary art. Mona Kuhn: Works is an essential volume for anyone with an interest in the human form in contemporary art.
[ SWIMMING POOLS ]
A world recreated with a comprehensive collection of swimming pools; this has been the biggest concept of Slovak photographer Maria Svarbova. We now observe different strands of thematic content stemming from this original concept; female empowerment, a more intimate view and relationship between models and the space around them and also Maria’s artistic expression of movements in feminism and the BLM movement.
[ ANNIE LEIBOVITZ AT WORK ]
In this book, Annie Leibovitz explains how her pictures are made. Leibovitz addresses young photographers and readers interested in what photographers do, but any reader interested in contemporary history will be fascinated by her account of one of the richest bodies of work in the photographic canon. The subjects include photojournalism, studio work, photographing dancers and athletes, working with writers, and making the transition from shooting with film to working with digital cameras. It is essentially a walkthrough on her life as a photographer.