WOLFGANG TILLMANS
By drawing influences from urban youth culture and popular music, German photographer Tillmans has redefined the look and style of contemporary portraiture. In the 1990s, his acclaimed work for such contemporary magazines as i-D and Interview earned him a critical reputation for photographing in a meticulously constructed "casual" style a unique style that seamlessly crosses genres, including fashion and fine art. In 2000, the London-based Tillmans became the first photographer to win the Turner Prize, Britain's most coveted contemporary art award. This book surveys Tillmans's portrait work from 1988 to 2001, compiling 68 color photographs of the artist's family and friends; several well-known subjects, such as film director John Waters and musician Michael Stipe, are included. The selections, which were chosen and arranged by the artist himself, are perfect examples of his celebrated style. But one must look elsewhere to read more than a single paragraph about the artist and his work, as no text accompanies the images. Two excellent sources are Zdenek Felix's current overview of all of Tillmans's work (including his landscapes), Wolfgang Tillmans: A View from Above, and Simon Watney's Wolfgang Tillmans, which provides a good introduction to Tillmans's portraiture. This new work is recommended for art and photography collections as well as all larger public libraries. Shauna Frischkorn, Millersville Univ
