Mid-century memories: Taschen rediscovers hidden gems in the Julius Shulman vaults
Publisher Benedikt Taschen has surveyed the 260,000-strong photo archive of Julius Shulman (1920 – 2009), in order to find the hidden gems and shining moments of the architectural photographer's illustrious career. Taschen, who enjoyed a close publishing relationship with Shulman since 1998, sensitively whittled the selection down to 1,008 pages, split into three insightful volumes entitled Modernism Rediscovered.
Volume to volume, the likes of Frank Lloyd Wright and Oscar Niemeyer feature amongst a catalogue of genre-defining talent; from Frank Gehry's swooping structures to the swathes of white walls that characterise Le Corbusier. It's all too easy to become immune to the power of these iconic images, having seen them stamped across magazines and in photobooks for two generations. But here, it's the mix of previously unseen, quiet portraits and intimate family shots that make us look again, and 'rediscover' modernism as the title asks of us. Shulman's unique access inside the homes, where he was welcomed as an esteemed guest time after time, reflects his close friendship with many of the master modernists, allowing him to deftly and respectfully capture their work as it was intended to be seen – as a place in which to live and exist.
Although most often remembered for his commitment to photographing Californian architecture, Modernism Rediscovered represents Shulman's work across the rest of the USA, and further afield in Hong Kong, Israel and Mexico, as Philip J. Ethington's biographical introduction explains. But it was Shulman's Californian childhood that primed him to have such a universal modernist's eye. 'Growing up in Southern California, at a time when Los Angeles was far closer to nature than it is today, gave Shulman the background to understand the near seamless compatibility of interior and exterior that is a hallmark of modernist design,' Ethington writes. 'In Shulman’s vision, the meticulous organisation of interior space, so reassuring in an often chaotic world, is balanced by the free form of an ad-hoc landscape.'
Shulman brought this 'Southern Californian lifestyle' to a world stage, and his stylised images are imprinted on the retina of the 20th century because of it. So impressive and overarching is his work that it's often difficult to picture the buildings he photographed without the epochal Shulman-hue over them. Organised as it is, in three detailed yet easy to manage sections interspersed with generous commentary, this beautifully presented collection is a fitting tribute to both mid-century architecture, and the man who dedicated his life to capturing it.
Shulman, who passed away in 2009, brought Californian modernist architecture to a world stage, and was influential in the careers of many architects who were also his close friends. Pictured: Frey Residence, by Albert Frey, Palm Springs, California, 1956. © J.Paul Getty Trust. Courtesy Julius Shulman Photography Archive, Research Library at the Getty Research Institute
This three-part tome pays homage to not only his West Coast work, but also his broader range of photographs taken throughout the USA, and further afield in Israel, Mexico and Hong Kong
Publisher Benedikt Taschen is the man behind the selection. He took two years to carefully pick from around 260,000 images from Shulman's personal, yet impeccably organised archives
Taschen was the perfect man for the marathon job, having enjoyed a close collaboration with the photographer since first publishing Julius Shulman: Architecture and Its Photography in 1998
Pictured left: Roberts Residence, by Weston, Byles & Rudolph, Malibu, California, 1953. Right: Mathias Goeritz at his home, which was co-designed with Ricardo Legorreta, Cuernavaca, Mexico, 1973. © J.Paul Getty Trust. Courtesy Julius Shulman Photography Archive, Research Library at the Getty Research Institute
Accompanying text comes courtesy of a host of big-name practitioners and Shulman enthusiasts, including an introduction by photography critic Owen Edwards, and an extensive biography by University of Southern California historian Philip J. Ethington. Pictured: Greenberg Residence, by Buff & Hensman, Palos Verdes, California, 1966. © J.Paul Getty Trust. Courtesy Julius Shulman Photography Archive, Research Library at the Getty Research Institute
Wallpaper* Newsletter
Receive our daily digest of inspiration, escapism and design stories from around the world direct to your inbox
Shulman's iconic images have imprinted themselves into the retina of the 20th century, and this comprehensive, beautifully presented collection is a fitting tribute to both the architecture, and the man that had the foresight to capture it. Pictured: Cunningham Residence ('Stoneflower' House), by Herb Greene, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, 1964. © J.Paul Getty Trust. Courtesy Julius Shulman Photography Archive, Research Library at the Getty Research Institute
Spring Hotel, Bequia, by Crites & McConnell, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, 1967. © J.Paul Getty Trust. Courtesy Julius Shulman Photography Archive, Research Library at the Getty Research Institute
INFORMATION
Julius Shulman: Modernism Rediscovered, published by Taschen, $150. For more information, visit the Taschen website
Elly Parsons is the Digital Editor of Wallpaper*, where she oversees Wallpaper.com and its social platforms. She has been with the brand since 2015 in various roles, spending time as digital writer – specialising in art, technology and contemporary culture – and as deputy digital editor. She was shortlisted for a PPA Award in 2017, has written extensively for many publications, and has contributed to three books. She is a guest lecturer in digital journalism at Goldsmiths University, London, where she also holds a masters degree in creative writing. Now, her main areas of expertise include content strategy, audience engagement, and social media.
-
Remembering Richard Serra (1938-2024), American art’s man of steel
American artist Richard Serra, whose vast sculptures transformed landscapes around the world, has died aged 85
By Hannah Silver Published
-
Architectural gardens around the world to soothe the soul
From small domestic gardens, to nature reserves, urban interventions and local parks, here are some of the finest green projects that place nature at their heart
By Ellie Stathaki Published
-
Corfu hotel Domes Miramare redefines beachfront bliss
Make like Jackie O at Corfu hotel Domes Miramare, a property with contemporary luxury and echoes of 1960s glamour in spades
By Bridget Downing Published
-
‘Package Holiday 1968-1985’: a very British love affair in pictures
‘Package Holiday’ recalls tans, table tennis and Technicolor in Trevor Clark’s wistful snaps of sun-seeking Brits
By Caragh McKay Published
-
‘Art Exposed’: Julian Spalding on everything that’s wrong with the art world
In ‘Art Exposed’, Julian Spalding draws on his 40 years in the art world – as a museum director, curator, and critic – for his series of essays
By Alfred Tong Published
-
Marisol Mendez's ‘Madre’ unpicks the woven threads of Bolivian womanhood
From ancestry to protest, how Marisol Mendez’s 'Madre' is rewriting the narrative of Bolivian womanhood
By Sofia de la Cruz Published
-
Photo book explores the messy, magical mundanity of new motherhood
‘Sorry I Gave Birth I Disappeared But Now I’m Back’ by photographer Andi Galdi Vinko explores new motherhood in all its messy, beautiful reality
By Hannah Silver Published
-
Best contemporary art books: a guide for 2023
From maverick memoirs to topical tomes, turn over a new leaf with the Wallpaper* arts desk’s pick of new releases and all-time favourite art books
By Harriet Lloyd-Smith Published
-
The best photography books for your coffee table
Flick through, mull over and deep-dive into the best photography books on the market, from our shelves to you
By Sophie Gladstone Published
-
Behind the scenes of Stanley Kubrick’s The Shining: new book charts the making of a horror icon
Published in February 2023 by Taschen, a new collector's book will go behind the scenes of Stanley Kubrick’s The Shining, charting the unseen making of a film that defined the horror genre
By Harriet Lloyd-Smith Published
-
Brad Walls’ aerial view transforms pools into artwork
Aerial photographer Brad Walls provides a crisp conclusion to the summer months with new book Pools From Above – you’ll want to dive right in
By Martha Elliott Last updated