American Grotesque: The Life and Art of William Mortensen

Never heard of William Mortensen? Neither did I until recently, and I thought I knew a lot about photography. Mortensen fell into obscurity after his death in the 1960s and is experiencing a modestly-sized revival, due to the resonance his fantastic analog imagery has on today's more receptive audience. The cover of this book is truth-in-advertising - Mortensen's heavily retouched photos could pass for stills from an alternate universe in which the Hays Production Code never took effect and 1930s Hollywood was as lurid, macabre, and explicit as possible. In other words, this is a creative world in which jazz age nudes, Goya-inspired torture scenes, witchcraft, freaks, monsters, and violence are readily available. It is also a world with some exceptional portraits in period costume, as one might expect from a photographer who worked in publicity for movie studios during the silent era. These portraits would be a centerpiece in any photographer's portfolio, or any actor's collection of head shots. You will not be surprised that Mortensen knew, and admired, Lon Chaney Sr. This book contains crisp, clear reproductions of many of Mortensen's surviving photos (most of which are full-page), thoughtful essays from a biographical, technical, and artistic perspective, and a reprinting of one of Mortensen's own essays (with full coauthor credit finally given to Mortensen's ghostwriter George Dunham). Given that Mortensen's subject matter leans towards the outré and outrageous, there are some images that lean heavily towards kitsch or camp (and he degenerated into straightforward cheesecake near the end of his career), but most of what is shown here is among the most amazing (if not disturbing) fantasy art of the 20th Century. This book is highly recommended.

Fascinating and generally well written book on the life and techniques of this scandalously forgotten photographer. It’s a fun and interesting read, despite being a ‘coffee table’ monster in size and form. Let down by very poor proof reading….almost every page has a missing word or other grammatical mistake. Good selection of Mortensen’s images.

William Mortensen is one of my favorite photographers. After learning about him during my photography class i ended up buying this book, only to find out ny professor had one of the big collections of WM. love this book!!

Mortenson is a pillar of photography but didn't match up with the dominant school so he was almost erased. This is an excellent book about him and his techniques...

Phenomenal book on one of American cultural history's most overlooked treasures, WIlliam Mortensen. Elegantly designed and very well researched and written, this is the definitive book on this artist. The book is clearly organized and filled with many never before seen images that will for years to come validate William Mortensen as one of the few occupants of the parthenon of truly great American Visionary artists.

Mortensen was a true pioneer before his time, for me a must have for the collection. Arrived promptly. While looking at this now in present day the subject may not be that big a big deal, naturally, anymore. Good way-waay-back look at an early visual craftsman.

A validation of the masterful artistic talent of William Mortensen. A talent that went somewhat unrecognized due to the disapproval and heavy criticism from the equally talented Ansel Adams. Although Adams was a pictorialist early on, he abandoned that style in favor of "straight" photography.

Brilliant book about a to me unknown photographer that deserves to be recognized amongst the best. A studio and darkroom master creating effects just recently available to most via Photoshop and it's like, just that he did it in the darkroom. A photographic must have book

A fascinating story of Mortensen's life (1897-1965), his career as a photographer and a popular author and teacher (he ran a school for years in Laguna Beach) and artist. Mortensen preferred to create pictorialist style works, heavily manipulated, at a time when the photographic world was going "straight" and the Photographic Establishment wanted to banish works like his from view. Ansel Adams called him the anti-Christ. His works include depictions of nudes threatened by giant ape-like creatures, and other highly imaginative and bizarre scenes of the occult. The book looks great, and the image plates are impressive. His wonderful images are well reproduced here. There's a detailed chapter outlining the methods he created to achieve his effects. Were he alive today there's no doubt he would have loved and embraced Photoshop. The author makes a strong case for suggesting that Mortensen's work and style fits right in beside modern digitally created imagery. Highly recommended!

Before Photoshop, there was Mortensen. Having watched a vintage documentary on a number of directors such as the macabre works of Tod Browning, Mortensen was sited as a point of influence, which intrigued me in regards to the broad breadth of work that remains. In stark contrast to his contemporaries of the monochrome, Mortensen's extensive travelling of 'The Old World' and taking in, what can be described as all of 'The Old Masters' whom of which would be a "lasting influence on and ideal of his photography", Mortensen took photography as one feels to the next level, both stylistically and pictorially, few would adorn office walls with his work, but again his work was not intended for the likes of administration offices or corporate foyers, though he was a pivotal point of the mythologizing machine for the movie industry, take for instance the images of Marlene Dietrich or even Rudolph Valentino. Images provided here are quintessentially challenging; emotive and uncompromising, though as A.D. Colemen wrote out for an exhibition catalogue: "Anathematised, ostracised, and eventually purged from the dominant narratives of 20th century photography..." this book emerges and serves not only as a valuable correction, but also a miraculous Phoenix like resurrection from the point of oblivion. Most obviously this volume is intended for mature audiences, particularly in regards to its sexualised, Occult / Esoteric and macabre themes, and would recommend this for both historical narrative and compositional worth for any seasoned and starter photographer, for my self as a digital artist, Moynihan's effort in presenting Mortensen's work immediately rendered the succinct impression of 'Wow', just by simply placing my thumb quarter of the way into the book and opening it. Get this book before time produces another 'Ansell Adams', whom would try to deprive the world yet again.

Rifado

Very interesting , nice cover and nice contents

Excelente livro.