Very few photographers have worked consistently for more than four decades, finding success at every stage. But then again, few photographers are as gifted and passionate as Joel Meyerowitz. Starting out as a documentary photographer in the early 1960s, Meyerowitz quickly established himself as an accomplished visionary, finding his voice in the field of color and black and white film. Then, in the summer of 1976, he visited Cape Cod, sparking a turning point in his career. It was in Cape Cod, with an 8 x 10" view camera by his side, that Meyerowitz created his seminal body of work, Cape Light, which showed families congregating on the beach, vast flat seascapes, sand dunes, and vistas of unimaginable beauty.
With more than a dozen books and numerous one person exhibitions world-wide, Joel Meyerowitz is never without his camera, constantly seeking to capture the beauty of everyday experiences. His newest body of work emerged shortly after September 11, 2001, when the Mayor’s office in New York City declared the area around the World Trade Center off limits to photographers. Meyerowitz states on his web site, ... (he thought) "no photographs meant no history, so he appealed to the Museum of the City of New York and to the Mayor's office to be allowed to make an historical survey of the aftermath. His goal was to provide New Yorkers and all Americans with an archive that would be useful for future generations to study and understand what went on inside the Forbidden City of Ground Zero."
For eight months Joel Meyerowitz was the only photographer working in the "pit" with unprecedented access, photographing twisted steel, remnants of office and human life, and the numerous people who devoted their time to the recovery effort, chronicling the disaster for the world to see. After this intense time of reflection and turmoil, Meyerowitz retreated to Tuscany, a place he held close to his heart – a place he and his wife had been visiting during the 1990s, where they held photographic and writing workshops. It was Tuscany that provided the respite he needed to keep going to Ground Zero month after month and, ultimately the opportunity to publish a book of this new work.
Tuscany – Inside the Light is the result of a one year photographic study of all four seasons in an area full of profound beauty. It was in Tuscany, among the harvested grapes, morning mist, olive groves and cypress trees that Joel Meyerowitz found solace and peace. With its fields of poppies, rolling hills of endless vineyards and penetrating sunlight, Tuscany is a place that forces us to slow down and breathe. Through these pictures, Meyerowitz helps himself, and the viewer, capture moments of pure tranquility. In these intense times of political and social turmoil, Joel Meyerowitz found a way to balance his need to witness with his need to heal. Through his journey in Italy, we are free to slowly walk through magnificent landscapes, reminding us of natures ability to comfort, protect and enlighten.
