Critique
Critique (established 1999) is the regular Eye column by Rick Poynor.
Streets without people
Emigre’s Rudy VanderLans explores the clotted terrain of Tokyo’s Shibuya and Shinjuku districts with the eye of a graphic designer
Hole in the head
An artful book of deliberately torn, anonymous photographs from the Cold War era leaves many questions unanswered.
Photo Critique by Rick Poynor
Cinematic view
A recent edition of Aperture examines the enduring affinity between two art forms. Photo Critique by Rick Poynor
Twisting the alien
Set to minimalist techno, Arthur Jafa’s APEX is a cycle of images that illuminate the condition of black people within white-dominated culture. Photo Critique by Rick Poynor
Scenes from an imperfect world
Even Don McCullin expressed doubts about his photographs of war and suffering. What is their message today? Photo Critique by Rick Poynor
Emotion pictures
Alex Prager’s ravishing tableaux mix glamour and unease. Photo Critique by Rick Poynor
Mining the ruins
When petrol replaced coal, the island of Hashima lost its purpose and slowly decayed. Rick Poynor examines a new photobook haunted by the past
Enigmas of abstraction
Photography records with startling accuracy. Why use it to create non-representational images? Photo Critique by Rick Poynor
Different kinds of marginal
Diane Arbus’s unsparing images retain their power to discomfit. Photo Critique by Rick Poynor
Colour field
By choosing colour over black-and-white, Joel Meyerowitz pioneered a new type of American street photography. Photo Critique by Rick Poynor