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City of Melbourne Libraries

Weegee : society of the spectacle

2025
Book
"Weegee's macabre tabloid photographs of murdered gangsters, bodies trapped in crashed cars, slums consumed by fire, and other poignant records of New York's nocturnal low life in the 1930s and 40s are the stuff of legend. Lesser-known, however, is the work he created in his later years, when he satirized Hollywood, mocking its fleeting glory, jubilant crowds, and social scenes, and created celebrity portraits that he delighted in distorting using a palette of technical tricks. And herein lies the paradox of Weegee: how can two such wildly different bodies of work co-exist? Offering the first evaluation of the famed photographer's career in its entirety, this book reconciles the two sides of Weegee by showing how the 'spectacle' was the unifying theme of his work. Over 130 images, some iconic, some more rarely seen, are accompanied by essays that explore the consistent themes throughout Weegee's career, his documentary and photojournalism work, and his last great series taken on the set of Stanley Kubrick's 1964 film Dr. Strangelove."-- Provided by publisher.
Main title:
Weegee : society of the spectacle / general editor, Clément Chéroux ; [translated from the French by Matthew Clarke].
Imprint:
London : Thames & Hudson Ltd, 2025.©2025
Collation:
206 pages : illustrations, photographs ; 27 cm
Notes:
Originally published: Paris : Éditions Textuel, 2024, under title : Weegee, autopsie du spectacle.Includes bibliographical references.Translated from the French.
ISBN:
9780500029121 (hbk)9780500029121 (hardback)
Dewey class:
070.49092770.92
LC class:
TR139
Language:
EnglishFrench
BRN:
823626
LocationCollectionCall numberStatus/Desc
Library at the Dock-Art and CultureARTS 770.92 WEEGAvailable
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