ARENA

Recently, I indulged my masochistic side and watched a slew of "Street Photography" videos, which all pretty much follow the same formulaic presentation: a few attempts at humor by the desktop (laptop if traveling) to loosen one up, followed by the promised "live" jaunt through their chosen city's streets touting the same shop worn observations and advice- all in the interest of proudly achieving and presenting... the most spectacularly mediocre images imaginable. Admittedly, I voluntarily descended down that rabbit hole of my own accord, thinking... they all can't be that bad- Alas...

Photo: Jeff Mermelstein

So it was with great delight that I finally caught sight of Jeff Mermelstein's ARENA at The Leica Gallery in SF. First, I must confess I'm not a big fan of the book's cover- it has the super glossy veneer of an over produced coffee table book desperately trying to blind you with Bling because of the paucity of quality to be found within. Already familiar with the quality of Mermelstein's work, I refused to be dissuaded by it's unfortunate manner of dress and was quickly overcome by a long forgotten feeling, a nostalgia, not of images already seen, but of someone allowed to enter the sacred realm of he who sees things in a very special way, and is allowing you the honor of sharing that vision. It was the same feeling I often felt walking into Light Gallery at 724 5th Ave. in the mid seventies, as if wandering about the clouds of photographic heaven.

ARENA displays Mermelstein as a photographer at the peak of his game, seeing details we would normally bypass- details which if we did stop to notice, and photograph, would never render with the insight, clarity and finesse that he delivers. It is a picture of a photographer wielding the ability to make the ordinary surreal, and the surreal a most palpable reality.

Will any of the current crop of newbie street photo wannabes ever reach such heights- I would hope so, though I most probably won't be around to witness it.