Book Review: Forever Saul Leiter
Saul Leiter
Cap, c. 1960
© 2020 Saul Leiter Foundation
Written by Sophie Mulgrew
Photo Edited by Alanna Reid
Saul Leiter, renowned American photographer and artist, once said “I am sometimes irresponsible. Instead of paying my taxes, I buy some books.” If you, like Saul, are a lover of books, look no farther for your next purchase. Forever Saul Leiter by Thames & Hudson, is a stunning collection of the photographer’s work that captures both the astounding breadth and intricate texture of Leiter’s craft.
Saul Leiter
Taxi, c. 1960
© 2020 Saul Leiter Foundation
The book is divided into two large sections: “The World of Saul Leiter”, which contains an overview of Leiter’s work, particularly images shot in and around the street, and “Seeking Saul Leiter”, which focuses on standout themes and subjects that recur in Leiter’s craft– his sister, self portraits, color slides, and more. The collection is the result of the Saul Leiter Foundation’s recent attempt to compile a comprehensive archive of the artist’s work. Through this survey process, the foundation uncovered a variety of previously unseen documents and photos, many of which will appear for the first time in the pages of Forever Saul Leiter.
Saul Leiter
Green dress, c. 1957
© 2020 Saul Leiter Foundation
The collection is beautiful. Leiter’s work is lively yet understated; documentative yet intimate. His photos feel - as Akiko Atake puts it - like “quiet stolen glimpses”; moments plucked from the everyday and preserved in the eye of Leiter’s camera. In many of the images, the subject is obscured from direct view; they are seen through a rain-spotted window pane, behind the metal curve of a fire escape, or amidst a flurry of other bodies. Leiter’s figures are framed both by his lens, and by the dynamic world around them. They exist in conversation with their context. Leiter finds meaning in the in-between– moments of transition and imperfection in which human truths are revealed.
Saul Leiter
Sailors, c. 1952
© 2020 Saul Leiter Foundation
Interspersed between Leiter’s photographs are quotes from the artist taken from various statements and interviews. “The street is like a ballet”, reads one, “you never know what is going to happen ''. Though the printed images are striking, it is the inclusion of these excerpts that brings the book to life. The reader feels Leiter’s presence within the text; gets a sense of his character and how it influences the work. Leiter is self-effacing and comical: “I just take pictures of somebody’s window”, he says, “That’s not such a great achievement”. Photography books can often feel cold and distant from the actual artist, but Forever Saul Leiter refutes that presentation. The book brings Leiter into conversation with the reader, allowing them to draw informed connections without prescribing a certain mode of interpretation.
Saul Leiter
Deborah, c. 1946
© 2020 Saul Leiter Foundation
Perhaps most moving in the book, is the section of photographs Leiter took of his longtime love and partner Soames. The images are deeply intimate and understated. Leiter renders even his most familiar subject in unexpected ways; a foot beneath a cab door, a face hidden in the cocoon of a warm scarf. Though Leiter is best known for his street photography, these images prove that his talent and eye are boundless. Leiter states that “Art consists of endless re-evaluations. Someone is great, then they’re forgotten.” Surely, Leiter’s work will continue to be re-evaluated by its viewers, but Forever Saul Leiter makes sure that it will never really be forgotten.
Saul Leiter
Self-portrait with Deborah, 1940s
© 2020 Saul Leiter Foundation
