SUMMARY
American artist Duane Michals, who passed away at 94, spent six decades redefining photography. He rejected the "decisive moment" concept, instead using staged scenes, faked ghosts, and sequences of images to explore themes like mortality and desire. Michals also wrote directly on his prints, believing words were necessary to voice the silence of a photograph and convey narratives beyond what a single image could capture. Despite lacking formal training, his innovative approach made him highly influential, particularly for photographers working with narrative and text.
TAKEAWAYS
Duane Michals (1932-2024) challenged the idea of capturing reality in photography.
He created photographic sequences and wrote on prints to tell stories.
Michals explored themes of mortality, desire, and the afterlife.
His work influenced photographers focusing on narrative and text.