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We have moved ESSAY: J. Ross Baughman Inferno by James Nachtwey
In this, his own inferno, Nachtwey sets an example that is obsessive and frequently cryptic. Just like a painter who cannot escape repeating himself within some dark, compulsive blue period, Nachtwey sidesteps any narrative responsibility in the book and instead sets out themes and endless variations that he cannot seem to get out of his head.
Nachtwey invokes a quote from Dante's "Inferno" to remind us of the living circles of Hell through which he volunteers to descend. He has created a coffee table book in the most imposing sense that could never pass daily journalism's breakfast test. "Inferno" retains some conventions of journalism, sticking to one place at a time per chapter; but it also strips away all titles, dates and proper nouns except for in the appendix. Unfortunately, there's no method to the madness. It's not the fault of the individual pictures; they are all masterful. Rather, it is the construction of the book and any author's responsibility for delivering a digestible, coherent tale. Many writers and editors consider photographers as little more than junior partners in the world of journalistm. In fact, an absolutely silent eye witness could supply the most telling narrative of war. In an extended form, the challenge would be daunting, but for the medium to grow, leaders in the field such as Nachtwey must take up that challenge. Is Nachtwey on a journey of self destruction, such as the path taken by the great war photographers Larry Burrows or Robert Capa? Or is he trying to prove something like Ernest Hemingway did? Has he faced the crushing depressions that crippled W. Eugene Smith; or is he on the verge of Donald McCullin's epiphany and resurrection? Has he become hopeful in any possible way at this point in his crusade? Artists, already unsure of what part luck plays in their discoveries, are often satisfied to make their best work one piece at a time. When challenged to build a larger vision, whether on a whole chapel's ceiling or To mature into his full potential as a visual communicator, Nachtwey can no longer afford to be haphazard, arbitrary or merely chronological with either his self-assignments or his final edits.
EDITOR'S NOTE: Mr. Baughman was seriously wounded by the same landmine explosion as Mr. Nachtwey on February 2nd, 1982, while on assignment in El Salvador for NEWSWEEK magazine. |
Authorities from Michelangelo to Avedon have discovered that a fine line divides beauty from the horrible, and some of Nachtwey's critics argue that his nightmarish subject matter crosses the line too frequently.
These images map out war's obscenity with more anger, passion and pathetic detail than any other single witness has ever amassed. Nachtwey might have stopped after the first few conflicts and no one would have expected him to keep returning. He reopens old wounds so readily now that his own nerve endings and sense of healing must be quite numb.