Mary Ellen Mark: Exposure
Street kids, prostitutes, mental patients and other desperate characters haunt this retrospective of documentary photographer Mark's 40-year career. Though Mark cites Federico Fellini as a major influence (there's a lovely photo of the director on the set ofSatyricon), it's hard not to see strong overtones of Diane Arbus in these pages, with all of Arbus's strengths and flaws. To their credit, Mark's images have a stark, dramatic flair and present gripping scenes that quickly seize viewers' attention. When her images are at their most potent, as in her portraits of Indian circus performers proudly demonstrating their art, the photos seem naturally observed, insightful rather than sensational. In her weaker moments, however, Mark can seem heavy-handed, and the images lean too hard on the absurdity, or luridness, of their subjects for their power. But if this beautifully produced compilation is sometimes uneven, it is a must for Mark fans, who will particularly appreciate the photographer's afterword, which reveals the stories behind many of her favorite images.(Aug.)Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.--This text refers to theHardcoveredition.