Renaldi hopes to turn the series into a book, but given the. Richard renaldi is teaching a portrait photography. Since 2007, richard renaldi has been working on a series of photographs that involve approaching and asking complete strangers to physically interact while posing together for a portrait. A conversation with richard renaldi about touching strangers. In 2006 renaldi s first monograph, figure and ground, was published by the aperture foundation. His subjects are people who never interacted until the moment he photographed. Richard renaldis portraiture is an honest look at the. In his ongoing series touching strangers, richard renaldi explores relationships between people through dynamic group portraiture. What happens when you touch a stranger in a series called touching strangers, the photographer richard renaldi asked complete strangers walking down the streets of.
Thats exactly what richard renaldi did for his series touching strangers, which is now available as a photo book. The impulse to engage with strangers is a key thread through much of my work. When presented with a book at a fair, rarely do i take the time to look through an entire book. After college, renaldi worked as a researcher and editor at magnum photos and impact visuals. Richard renaldi born 1968 is an american portrait photographer. Pier queen by emanuel xavier and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at. If we walked out into the world with the knowledge that posing in a photograph with a. In spring 2014, subject the success of this kickstarter campaign, aperture foundation, the photography publisher based in new york, will publish touching strangers as a photobook, including new photographs from renaldis shoots this summer in albuquerque, chicago, new york city, and southern california. Renaldi directed strangers to pose in front of a largeformat, 8by10inch view camera in towns and cities all over the united states. Touching strangers will be on view at aperture gallery in new york city from thursday through may 15. The importance of touching strangers a richard renaldi. Captivating portraits of total strangers embracing right.
Renaldi s most recent monograph, touching strangers, was released by the aperture foundation in the spring of 2014. Photographer richard renaldi discusses the importance of keeping an active archive, the complicated people skills involved with taking a good portrait, and knowing when to put down your camera and simply experience the world firsthand. He received his bfa in photography from new york university in 1990. Renaldi s work has also appeared in group exhibitions, including strangers.
Working on the street with a large format eightbyteninch view camera, renaldi encounters the subjects for his photographs in towns and cities all over the united states. Teju cole since 2007, richard renaldi has been working on a series of photographs that involve approaching and asking complete strangers to physically interact while posing together for a portrait. When my friend richard renaldi showed me the first images from the new series touching strangers i was just amazed. I do a flipthrough and i usually know right away if i like the book or not. How boeing blocks cleanup of simi valley nuclear site brad bird tells the backstory to the iron. On wednesday, april 16, we joined richard renaldi for a talk and signing of his new book, touching strangers. Richard renaldis portraiture offers an honest look at the human condition. Perhaps connecting with people isnt as difficult as we think. The endless draw of portraiture photographs by richard. Richard renaldi touching strangers aperture foundation ny.
Standing in the bathroom of his familys house in suburban chicago, dressed in a rugby shirt and white chinos, arms folded, a young boy calmly appraises the camera. Renaldi posed strangers he found in the street, giving them something intimate to do touching or holding each other, sometimes being more intimate than that. Touching strangers for seven years, between 2007 and 2014, richard renaldi was creating his iconic touching strangers photographic series. Go search best sellers gift ideas new releases deals store coupons. Renaldi made his first self portrait in 1978 when he was ten years old. Photographs should be of people you dont know and who dont know each other, before the photo is taken, who you ask to touch each other for the picture. Photographer richard renaldi, whose expansive career is grounded in the exploration of portraiture, also teaches students how to take photos of other people often strangers. I took it on directly in my book touching strangers, where i actually went up to people on the street who were strangers to each other and to me and got them to agree to be photographed together touching each other. John lelandthe new york times lens blog 070520 most photographers capture life as it is, but in these strangers, richard renaldi has captured something much more ethereal and elusive. Ive been all over, promoting the book, exhibitions, and talks.
The photographer richard renaldi is a matchmaker for tense times. Renaldi will also sign books at aperture on april 16. Overview now available in a new paperback edition, richard renaldi s touching strangers embodies the human desire to connect despite our differences. His photographs have been exhibited in galleries and museums throughout the us, asia and europe. Richard renaldi will introduce and discuss the origins of his newest monograph i want your love. Richard renaldi on knowing when to put down the camera. Mom and dad, chicago, il, 1956 renaldi family, palos heights, il, 1971 artist at 10, palos heights, il, 1978 artist at 12, chicago, il, 1980. Julie and xavier when photographer richard renaldi started putting strangers together to make intimate portraits, he. I did grow up in chicago, but i left at 18 to go to school here in new york at nyu. Richard renaldi is a matchmaker for tense times, asking complete strangers to pose with their bodies touching, as if they were intimates. Jonathan blaustein november 24, 2014 photographers. The connective power of photography ever widening circles.
Touching strangers, a monograph by the chicagoborn photographer richard renaldi, would have fit nicely as a capstone for bussards case studies, as it pushes the notion of street. In spring 2014, subject the success of this kickstarter campaign, aperture foundation, the photography publisher based in new york, will publish touching strangers as a photobook, including new photographs from renaldis shoots this summer in albuquerque, chicago, new york city. See five photos of strangers touching in chicago in a new book, richard renaldi s 73 photos capture the beauty of contact between people who dont know each other. The first icp triennial of photography and video at the international center of photography, new york 2003. In touching strangers its a little awkward, but i think that the project sort of warrants that. Touching strangers since 2007, richard renaldi has been working on a series of photographs that involve approaching and asking complete strangers to physically interact while posing together for a. See five photos of strangers touching in chicago chicago. The florida museum of photographic arts, tampa, fl.
Richard renaldi showed me an advance copy of touching strangers at a book signing for his previous book fall river boys at society for photographic education in march of this year. Working on the street with a largeformat, 8by10inch view camera, renaldi encounters the subjects for his photographs in towns and cities all over the united states. Richard renaldi touching strangers aperture foundation. They could be family or friends in fact the subjects of richard renaldis intimate portraits are total strangers. Touching strangers is renaldi s third book, following figure and ground aperture, 2006, and fall river boys 2009. While young photographers usually want a clear answer a magic method for how to best connect with their subjects renaldi asserts that there isnt a cutanddried. Now, the new york based photo foundation aperture is trying to make renaldi s ongoing project, which has spanned albuquerque, chicago, new york city and socal, into a photo book.
He received a bfa in photography from new york university in 1990. Richard renaldi s touching strangers photos touch on human relationships nbc4s joel grover. But touching strangers, even when it alerts us to societys hypocrisies, also does something more basic and more subtle. In an extract from his book, touching strangers, photographer richard renaldi explores the genesis of an intriguing and occasionally confronting project. You can see some of the images from the touching strangers series on richard renaldi s website, and purchase renaldi s book from the series on amazon. Richard renaldis touching strangers photos touch on. The photographer chose his subjects cast his photos on the street and one must constantly remind oneself that the subjects of the photos are not longtime intimates with each other. Richard renaldi interview a photo editora photo editor. Touching strangers, the book that brings people together. Asking two complete strangers to not only pose with each other, but to also touch each other while doing that and this in a culture whose discomfort with touching someone you dont know, or touching something that someone else might have touched still baffles. Renaldi has made over 150 of these portraits of strangers coming together over the course of six years. Richard renaldis touching strangers brings strange. His second monograph, fall river boys, was released in 2009 by charles lane press.
949 438 1501 1397 1453 1572 461 1401 1314 517 520 1136 973 986 713 211 1570 793 1266 1557 1223 448 950 792 573 1349 209 975 1437