Black & White Magazine for Collectors of Fine Photography

From time to time I pick up art magazines just for sheer fun of paying $7.00 - $15.00.  Still, it is like buying a fine art book you can catalog with all your other art findings.  If you do not mind the art ads all over the place (like even this site has been prone to lately, only not artsy, not art gallery artsy, yet)

April, 2008 issue profiles Photographers in St. Petersburg,  all shot in black & white - this writer's favorite form of art photographer.  From the introduction: " . . . the city's history has been etched in dark and tragic tones."

Because of the artistic freedom being smashed though out most of the 20th century, ". . . . photography today flourishes like never before."  No less than nine photographers are profiled here.  The history of St. Petersburg, and all it's art influence down through the century's, the architecture, the atmosphere, wrapped up all the photos.  All unbelievably beautiful.

"The photography here generally has fragility, nuance and sadness to it, a sensuality and delicacy, something darker and untouchable that is unique to St. Petersburg," quotes Marina Gisich, a leading art gallery owner.

Because there is too much to include in one blog post, I have picked one photograph that really draws my attention.

Alexandra Demenko is a photojournalist and documentary photographer.  The one picture the really pulls my eye in a picture (unnamed) is of two gypsy women living in a house, a really small house.  There is an older gypsy woman who looks so worn out, she might fall asleep and die that very night.  She has a traditional babushka around her head and is wilting in her posture.  The second woman, is cleaning broom and dust pan.  The feeling of the picture is claustrophobic, resignation, but is lined up so the blocks of the pictures and door way frame separates the two woman in two different worlds.