Piercing Time

Peter Sramek

ISBN 10: 1783200332 / ISBN 13: 9781783200337

Published by Intellect Books, 2013

About this Item

Examines the role of photography in documenting urban change by juxtaposing contemporary "rephotographs" taken by the author with images of nineteenth-century Paris taken by Charles Marville, who worked under Georges Haussmann, and corresponding photographs by Eugene Atget taken in the early twentieth century. Num Pages: 456 pages, 300 colour plates, 210 halftones, 22 maps. BIC Classification: 1DDF; AJB; AJC; JFSG. Category: (G) General (US: Trade). Dimension: 228 x 224 x 39. Weight in Grams: 1938. . 2013. Hardcover. . . . .

Seller Inventory # V9781783200337

Bibliographic Details

• Title: Piercing Time
• Publisher: Intellect Books
• Publication Date: 2013
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 1783200332
• ISBN 13: 9781783200337
• Binding: Hardcover
• Condition: New

About this title

Synopsis

Piercing Time examines the role of photography in documenting urban change by juxtaposing contemporary “rephotographs” taken by the author with images of nineteenth century Paris taken by Charles Marville, who worked under Georges Haussmann, and corresponding photographs by Eugène Atget taken in the early twentieth century. Revisiting the sites of Marville’s photographs with a black cloth, tripod, and view camera, Peter Sramek creates here a visually stunning book that investigates how urban development, the use of photography as a documentary medium, and the representation of urban space reflect attitudes towards the city. The essays that run alongside these fascinating images discuss subjects such as the aesthetics of ruins and the documentation of the demolitions that preceded Haussmannization, as well as the different approaches taken by Marville and Atget to their work. The book also includes contemporary interviews with local Parisians, extracts from Haussmann’s own writing, and historical maps that allow for an intriguing look at the shifting city plan.

Sure to be of interest to lovers of the city, be they Parisians or visitors, Piercing Time provides a unique snapshot of historical changes of the past 150 years. But it will also be of enduring value to scholars. The accurate cataloguing and high quality reproductions of the images make it a resource for a significant portion of the Marville collection in the Musée Carnavalet, and it will aid further research in urban history and change in Paris over the past century and a half. Photographers will also be drawn to the book for its new thinking in relation to documentary methodologies.

About the Author

Peter Sramek is a visual artist with a practice in photography and book arts. As professor emeritus at OCAD University in Canada, he has worked to develop innovative curriculum in the arts over more than four decades. Since 2010, development of the INTAC network has been a key focus for his ongoing efforts to expand experiential and cross-cultural learning opportunities for students. He is the author of Piercing Time: Paris After Marville and Atget 1865–2012, also published by Intellect Books.