A Poet’s Vision – Bill Brandt Nudes

By Marina Rybak

Bill Brandt (1904 – 1983) is a celebrated British photographer of the mid-20th century. A student of Man Ray, he is revered as a photographer’s photographer. A comprehensive retrospective of his work Bill Brandt: Shadow and Light is on view at MoMA through August 12.  To coincide with this major exhibition Edwynn Houk Gallery is presenting a selection of his vintage prints from the artist’s family archive starting April 4 till May 11.

Brandt’s artistic legacy encompasses many genres and printing styles. His photojournalism, portraiture, landscapes reflect many facets of his varied, distinguished career.  His female nudes are heralded as the artist’s most inventive and pioneering achievement.

The iconic nudes were the artist’s favorites. With wide-angle antique Kodak camera in hand Brandt stepped into the uncharted, illusive world of sharp perspectives and distorted spaces. The camera saw more than a human eye and guided his experimentations.

The photographer was inspired by his contemporaries from Balthus to Henry Moore. The intimate lyricism of the images evolved into mysterious, sculptural, landscape abstractions of dark and light.

Personally, I feel that to observe the beauty of the female form through instinctual, poetic vision of Bill Brandt is rather refreshing again and self-affirming.  A recent publication by Thames & Hudson “Brandt Nudes” is deemed to become a collector’s item. And I hope that in addition to its artistic merit the book will be influential in expanding the “ideal” body image discourse.  It is a great point of reference.