Alejandra Ros photobook review

Alejandra Ros

PGY 2101 Visual Literacy

Photobook Review

Arbus, Diane, Marvin Israel, and Doon Arbus. Diane Arbus: An Aperture Monograph. New York: Aperture, 1972. Print.

            Diane Arbus’s fascination with strikingly abnormal people indicated a personal connection with her subject matter. Arbus shared that photographs are honest as to demonstrate a harsh and cold reality (Arbus 2). Her subjects have endured degrees of unwelcome solely because of their differences from the general population. The subjects appear to solemnly accept social perceptions toward them and find means to live truthfully. These subjects range from nudists, transvestites, midgets, masked people, to name a few. Her photographs were taken during the 1960s to 70s exclusively in New York City.

            The choice of title for the images are straightforward and concise. Methods of titling have usually drawn from a detail or description of the photograph’s contents. For example, a photograph taken in 1963 is titled “A Jewish couple dancing” demonstrates just that, two people dancing. The simplicity of naming these photographs contrasts its powerful contents. The photographs are organized to cover a single type of “freak” every few pages as to refresh the viewer’s experience. This helps to keep the viewer’s attention as opposed to dividing the contents in categories of strange subjects; i.e., first portion covers dwarfs, second portion covers nudists, etc. Even restricting the number of subjects in each photograph as a whole creates a balanced transition from page to page.

The last seven photographs of the book were sorted in a cohesive unity, yet untitled, as to suggest these were one of the few last images Arbus photographed prior to her death. This leaves to question on their significance, because unlike drags, midgets, or transvestites, she chose to photograph people with mental disabilities. It is as if she discovered a whole new group of people shunned from society. The group of people were far more carefree than those of previous photographs. There is also indication these people still suffer as outcasts, since at least three involve the covering of the face. The mixture of lightheartedness and shame only heighten Arbus’s view of photographs being harsh and cold. However, it is because of these last photograph’s positive nature does it seem appropriate to sort them at the end of the photobook.

The photographs creates intimacy between viewers and the subjects, as their lifestyle can be perceived as taboo. Just by Arbus photographing these people, she not only gained access to their world, she was able to hold them in a higher position. Arbus went to the extent of describing her subjects as aristocrats born with trauma (Arbus 2). Her photographs look to identify with people who are shunned by society because their physical and behavioral differences. Careful attention to their respective lifestyle and domain allows her work to exemplify their humanity.