Photography: Book review: Flesh and Spirit

Claudio Edinger was born in Rio de Janeiro, May 3rd ,1952.
His photographs have appeared in major magazines around the world, including Stern, The New York Times, London Sunday Times, Vanity Fair, Frankfurter Allgemeine, El País, Time,
Paris Match, Newsweek and many more. His work has been exhibited at the ICP New York, the Pompidou Center, France, Photographer's Gallery, England, Perpignan Photo Fest, France, Higashikawa Photo Fest, Japan, Museu de Arte de São Paulo, Museu de Imagem e do Som,
Museu de Arte Moderna de São Paulo, Instituto Cultural Itau, Casa da Cultura Judaica,
Centro Cultural Banco do Brasil, among others. He has been twice awarded the Leica Medal of Excellence, The Ernst Hass Award, Pictures of the Year Award (1996) and the Higashikawa
Award in 1999 for foreign photographer of the year, among other honors. His work is in the
collection of the International Center of Photography, Museu de Arte de São Paulo, Centro Cultural Banco do Brasil, Itau Cultural, Pirelli Collection, Museu de Arte Moderna de São Paulo,
Higashikawa Photo Fest, Metronom Barcelona, among many others. He lives in São Paulo, Brazil

Chelsea hotel 1978venice beach 1984

Claudio Edinger photography is not just to show the subject he gets involved as much as possible, understanding the person giving that edge with the close of his shutter the does not just leave an image, he leaves a part of the persons sole making the photo more than just a photo. When I acquired one of his books “Flesh and Spirit” I found myself attracted to the different photos, not just capturing my eye but reaching down into my soul.
Some screaming out “HELP” leaves me with total emptiness; with a just a turn of a page Claudio Edinger accomplishes to rip out that empty feeling in me filling it with one of happiness, joy giving me a sense of hope.
I experienced that some of the photos leaving me in total awe. “These are more than just photos” I hear myself say, it is the heart and soul of the subject, capturing the essence of being alive.

Madness

Claudio Edinger photos are not just of the beauty of the world, he took me on a journey through the good, the bad and even where man fears to tread. The photos that was taken in the Juqueri the largest hospital for the mentally ill in Latin America was one of the untreated paths. He did not just go in and take photos he even stayed amongst the patients. For me this was the most gripping and soul searching photos I ever came across.
I would recommend “Flesh and Spirit” to all people what want to see more than just a Photo. A paragraph from the book Flesh and Spirit:
In Flesh and Spirit we see the breadth of Edinger’s work. He covers many disquieting ideas and follows them through to their natural end. The consistency of his approach is unique, but is what makes his art.
‘This book is like a map of the journey I have taken,” he says “After this, I’m putting prose aside. Now I and my camera are reaching more for the transcendence of poetry”
Claudio Edinger

Here are some more of Claudio Edinger stunning photos

Down Town LA 2009