Bill Costa Day II

Today I'm posting my second series on the work of Bill Costa.  The image above is the cover 

of one of several books featuring the work of this excellent photographer.

 

Delicate

The contrast between the rough machinery and the model's body is the obvious source 

of Bill Costa's title for this photo, His Torso Was Delicate.

 

Day at the Beach

 For some reason, the alignment of the picnic basked, the model, and the football appeal to me.

Nude in Front of Window

This is hands down my favorite of the day.  We get a silhouette, shadow, and backlighting . . . 

all in the same image.  The little glow on the model's derriere is fantastic.

 

I don't know if Mr. Costa was referring to the model's body, the task he was doing, 

or both when he titled this photo What Glorious Workmanship.

 

Modified Flandrin

We get a different take on the classic Flandrin motif, 

both in terms of the model and the picture on the wall.

Somewhat unusually for Bill Costa, it is untitled.

 

The Crucifix has a jarring juxtaposition of Christ's front side and the model's backside.

 

Embraced

The title of this photo, To Be Embraced by the Calm, seems a bit paradoxical,

given that the setting is a wrecked building in New York.

 

The Bath

Bill Costa did The Bath as an homage to Paul Cadmus.

 

Dreaming

Our final Bill Costa photograph is one he called Dreaming Is Nursed in Darkness.

 

Bill Costa

This is a cropped version of Bill Costa's "Boy by a Waterfall,"

and it sets the scene for tomorrows series.

 

Bill Costa, 1944-1995

Bill Costa (1944-1995) was raised in Massachusetts and educated at an art college there , but 

moved to New York for a corporate job.  At age 31 he gave that up to pursue photography 

full time, and he was heavily influenced by both the financial nadir of the City and the 

AIDS epidemic.  Some of his photos of men in ruined buildings have become 

almost iconic.  We start the series with The Holy Trinity from 1988.

 

Robert

Bill Costa called this 1983 photo simply Robert-NYC.

 

Garden

The Gardener is another example of Bill Costa's "Ruins of New York" phase.

 

Frank

Bill Costa called this one Frank in the Country, Cropped,

but it looks like it was taken in a ruined New York tenement.

 

Sean

1989 is the date for this picture called Sean.

 

When I see him . . .

This moody piece from 1988 is called When I See Him Lying Naked.

 

Abandoned

Here we have 1984's Abandoned on My Bed.

 

Sentinel

This one is I Am the Sentinel at the Gate of the Sleep of Others, undated.

 

1980

This untitled Bill Costa work looks like Fort Lauderdale about 1980.