Books for Prep | |
 - A Personal Look at ParisI'm thinking of moving to Paris and was interested in finding out more about what kind of opportunities will be available to me as an artist. I know Veronique Vial's work from many years of reading her glossy coffee table books about the Cirque du Soleil and her Hollywood friends, so I knew I was in good hands. They say a picture is worth a thousand words. No matter if she takes you to the St. Germain des Pres or to the Eiffel Tower, Vial has a way of making everything look new for the very first time, even the age-old cobblestones of Paris. She invents a surrogate for us to identify with, whom she calls, "The Cordial Traveller." Believe me, he is no Gene Kelly. My only complaint is that the model, the Cordial Traveller, doesn't have very much personality. He observes things with a stoic look, as though his mind was somewhere else. Many actors have that quality of repose, as they are always processing experience to use on the stage or on screen, but this guy goes too far. He sees many interesting things but seems only interested in making sure the camera catches him displaying his better profile. Outside of that, this book is a worthy successor to Diane Johnson's novels about American emigres to Paris, or even a book like James Baldwin's GIOVANNI'S ROOM. People who love Veronique Vial, of course, will hardly be disappointed. In a way, this book is a more private peek into what makes a fine photographer tick, like a map of her mind. We loved her photos of the stars of Beverly Hills cavorting in their swimming pools, but these feel closer to home, more personal. page 1 of 1
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