Jan Saudek – The Dancer (2001)

Consider:

• the staggering tonal range and varied texture in the concrete backdrop,
• the painstakingly graded skin tone (for me invoking little as much as the incisive crosshatching in Dürer’s etchings),
• the obvious resemblance to Michelangelo’s David,
• the subject is presented slightly off-center, cheated toward the source of light at frame left and formally balancing every aspect of the composition.

There’s no denying Saudek’s mastery; sadly, I find my frustration with his proclivity for shooting the same/image images in perpetuity an insurmountable obstacle to engaging with his work.

I absolutely see inspired flashes of anti-authoritarian glee, subversion and rebellion amidst the cloying repetition–all attitudes that resonate strongly with me. Ultimately, the work either commands my eye or it doesn’t.

This is one is just motherfucking goddamn incredible.