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Jock Sturges: Radiant Identities
In Radiant Identities, photographer Jock Sturges explores issues of youth and the liberation of body and spirit. These unforgettable images are made from his own circle of acquaintances and family; the settings are their homes and stretches of naturist beaches in France and Northern California. In superb reproductions, Sturges evokes the classical spirit of Old Master paintings and late-nineteenth-century photographic tableaux, while probing concepts of emergent sexuality and psychological intimacy. Radiant Identities is the second volume in Sturges's ongoing work. Physically and psychically revealing, these deeply felt images are gloriously natural and wonderfully compelling. Elizabeth Beverly's introductory essay, drawn in part from conversations with Sturges's subjects, adds a new dimension to the photographs. These personal reflections shed light on the unique collaborative process by which Sturges's remarkable photographs are made. In the book's afterword, noted photography critic A.D. Coleman places Sturges in the context of current debates surrounding censorship in the arts, and discusses the themes of innocence and sexuality in the photographs.
- GenresPhotographyArtErotica
96 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1994
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
July 26, 2011
The work of Jock Sturges is well known on an international level. The work depicted in this book is nothing but exquisite in every form. The subjects of his work consist of well trusted family members who understand the kind of work he does. The level of trust shown with his subjects is evident in the pictures you see throughout the book.
The quality of work is so great that the use of black-and-white is enough to show that the need for color is moot. The work of art shown in this book is of family relationships and individual awareness of each other and one's self. The nudity in the book is very overlooked by the feelings and emotions that are conveyed from each person and environment. How everything in each picture is connected with their environment makes for a personal feeling that we have experienced at one time in our own lives.
If nude works turn you off then this is a book to stay away from but if you are a photographer yourself, then this is a book to look at and understand just how strong of a relationship the photographer has with his subjects and the trust that he has earned in order to achieve the work he has produced.
The quality of work is so great that the use of black-and-white is enough to show that the need for color is moot. The work of art shown in this book is of family relationships and individual awareness of each other and one's self. The nudity in the book is very overlooked by the feelings and emotions that are conveyed from each person and environment. How everything in each picture is connected with their environment makes for a personal feeling that we have experienced at one time in our own lives.
If nude works turn you off then this is a book to stay away from but if you are a photographer yourself, then this is a book to look at and understand just how strong of a relationship the photographer has with his subjects and the trust that he has earned in order to achieve the work he has produced.
October 11, 2016
Jock Sturges succeeds where David Hamilton fails: capturing naked beauty, including sexuality and sensuality, without losing the individual. Each photo has a story, a real person, or real people, with a variety of genders and ages. They're interesting. I wonder about each unique person, wonder what they're thinking, empathize, feel connected, know they have a family, a history, dreams. And I respect them. Whereas, with Hamilton, all the people are similar looking, similarly aged girls, all posed similarly, and with a focus on their bodies as... sexual parts.
I still feel slightly uncomfortable with this book, probably due to internalized western shame of sexuality. I also feel angry at the idealization of youth in our culture, but, Sturges does include older individuals in the scenes of beauty--these are the important people in the lives of the youths--which mollifies my indignation.
I still feel slightly uncomfortable with this book, probably due to internalized western shame of sexuality. I also feel angry at the idealization of youth in our culture, but, Sturges does include older individuals in the scenes of beauty--these are the important people in the lives of the youths--which mollifies my indignation.
January 21, 2017
La censura fotográfica ha sido algo sintomático y algo totalmente aceptado y universalizado por Facebook ultimamente. Las fotografías de Sturges lo han puesto siempre en evidencia con una belleza especial.
December 17, 2015
Gorgeous large format black and white nude work. Fabulous reproductions and great photographs all round make this a must have in any serious collectors library.
November 12, 2016
Features a collection of B/W photos, mostly of youthful males and females in various stages of undress. Somewhat engaging.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews