In the last years of his life, Andre Kertesz performed what he humbly referred to as "a little play" with a Polaroid SX-70 camera in his New York City apartment. Prior to these last years he was a broken man. Lonely and depressed in a city that never felt like home and where he was under appreciated for his photographic genius. He also suffered deeply from the loss of his beloved wife Elizabeth.
Kertesz found a small glass bust in a bookshop window, and the SX-70 was a gift from Graham Nash (of CSN&Y). The combination of these two items resulted in a spiritual renewal for Kertesz and the re-discovery of his photographic soul.
Ketresz would place the glass bust, as well as other objects in various places around his apartment and then go about his day, returning often to observe the light and capture the images. Many of these Polaroids are metaphors for his love and devotion to Elizabeth. They are symbols of joy, loss, love, and mortality. I consider them to be the most beautiful Polaroids I have ever seen.
Andre Kertesz: The Polaroids (the book)
Review of Kertesz Polaroids @ Silverstein Gallery
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