Phil Bergerson - (Hardcover)

About the Book

America through the eyes of a Canadian photographer.

Book Synopsis

A retrospective of Phil Bergerson's career. The first section's, extensive essay addresses his student days, early teaching and organizing years and his various photographic projects (1967-1989). The second part deals with Bergerson's pursuit of the human condition found within the American Social landscape. It begins with an historically contextualizing essay, followed by a sequence created from selections from Bergerson's first two books on America. This is followed by Bergerson's most recent photographs accompanied by a critical essay.

Review Quotes

"Bergerson's work over the past 25 years assumes the form of a sweeping topographical survey, mirroring his peripatetic wanderings, and encapsulating his distinctive way of merging the roles of documentary photographer and cultural commentator in his images. Bergerson finds his material amid the melancholic detritus of the urban fabric: in modest store window displays, hand-painted murals, graffiti, and crudely made signs. A chaotic urban landscape emerges, one engendered by unmoored dreams, raw desires, simmering fears, commercial fantasies, rampant patriotism, and a smouldering violence." David Harris, Independent Curator, Photography Historian and Professor Emeritus, Ryerson University, author of Eugène Atget, Unknown Paris Writers who understand the role of 'visual thinking' have been drawn to Bergerson's work. After examining Bergerson's first book on America, Annie Proulx wrote: "If I were teaching short story writing the only textbook I would assign would be your collection of photographs." Annie Proulx, author of The Shipping News "The 60's and 70's were important revolutionary times for contemporary photography and Bergerson was there in the thick of it. First by meeting many of those involved in Rochester while he was still a student at Ryerson and later through the 70's and 80's as a teacher/organizer who brought many of the most important photographers of the twentieth century to speak at Ryerson, including Kertész, Robert Frank, Eugene Smith, Friedlander, Frederick Sommer, and historians Gernsheim and Szarkowski. He is also a photographer with a vision, a particular, intriguing view of the world, an ability to see beyond the obvious and craft the graphic nature of his photographs into well-constructed statements." Jerry Uelsmann, Photographer, Professor Emeritus, University of Florida Over the decades, many of the international lecturers Bergerson invited to speak presented unique lectures. "Phil was the first person to ask me to lecture on my relationship to and use of photography". Michael Snow, Artist "Suffocating from the fumes of critical theory is a terrible death to die, but unlike drowning, it can go on for hours." Joel Snyder 1983 at the Symposium on Photographic Theory, Ryerson University "In 1983, Bergerson organized the Symposium on Photographic Theory where tensions arose that thrilled the audience when each speaker staked out his theoretical territory. The encounters over those two days stimulated lively discussions that carried for decades as the participants continued to feed our ongoing interest in photographic theory." Marta Braun, Photography Historian, Professor, Ryerson University, author of PicturingTime: The Work of Etienne-Jules Marey (1830-1904)