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Perceval Press, November 2005
hardcover
104pages, 91/2 x 81/4 inches
ISBN 0-9774869-3-1
Perceval Press: New black and white photographs and words from Viggo Mortensen that look directly at loss, change, and renewal. In making Linger, he strives to find a still place from which to see and interpret the world around him. The imagery in this book deals frankly with family, strangers, and landscape that Mortensen has recently been able to spend extended time with, rather than hurriedly observe as just one more passing ghost with a camera and a notebook. Although we might occasionally find in these newer images hints of the chaotic abstractions that have recently dominated his work, Linger evidences a patience with things as they come to be and, consequently, a tranquility long-absent from both his photography and writing.
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COMMENTS:
Mithrandir, Dec 07 2005
Landscapes, still life, small park-like views, casual street shots, a few multiple exposures and blur shots. A few shots obviously from the set of past movies, in the style of The Horse is Good. "Hidalgo" is back, but only in 1 shot. Several shots of the Iceland countryside. Awesome. Wiith such a strong emphasis on people in the past, Vig shows here that he can shoot a traditional landscape. That is what I photograph, so those are my favorites. Especially Merzouga 9 and Cadiz 2.
Nikkie, 09 2005
I agree with your insights. The book is so... personal. I was astounded at the end, feeling like I had intruded upon his soul. I couldn't believe that he had shared so much with us. (...)
I loved a lot of the new photos from Spain. Overall, I thought the book was dark and haunting to me, very personal, very thought-provoking. I was very moved when I finished, and like you, in tears. He shares so much of himself in so many different forms of expression.
Riv Res, Dec 10 2005
With LINGER, Viggo has not only given us yet another visually stunning piece of work, but at last he has returned to the written word in a meaningful way, and for those of us who are unabashed fans of his writing, it is a brilliant homecoming.
Gilraen, Dec 11 2005
This book is full of loss and people alone in rooms. There are no love poems, not even sad but somewhat hopeful ones like "First Light." This writer says he will make "no new promises." I keep thinking of all the hotel rooms this man has been in in the last year like the one in Layover (which does have a hint of something positive). This is beautiful work, but to me it's full of sadness of a much deeper almost existential kind than we found in "Communion" or "Apart." Of course, I may be projecting, but this seems to me like the work of a man much farther along in life than 47. Can this be the same guy who wears soccer pajamas to the supermarket?
Angela, Dec 12 2005
There isn't one piece in LINGER that does not call you back.
There is not one piece, even the ones I have heard or read before that don't make me wish Viggo were here so I could, could what? say, It'll be all right? life sucks and then you die...isn't that what they say?(...)
As a whole the book feels like it was written by a wizened old soul. Some of us are born that way. It just seems as if all the pieces of loss have been gathered together as a peace offering to acceptance. But the result is that the way of self-preservation is to stop the struggle, to discontinue loss by making no more promises, breathing daily ruin...Oh Viggo, Viggo, Viggo, if you give up, what chance do I have? (...)
LINGER is the kind of book that makes you want to hug someone. It bares the soul. When journalists have mentioned a sort of melancholy that they see when they interview Viggo and look in his eyes, this is what they saw.
Yelwrose, Mar 07 2006
Obviously, it has. I'm going to split from the pack here, though, and come right out and say it. I'm somewhat disappointed in Linger. It doesn't have the emotional impact for me (except for Letter to Brigit) that his other books have had. Many of the photographs seem underexposed and too black, or perhaps this is a printing anomaly in the second printing. The prose doesn't fascinate or involve me in the way that his poetry does (with the same exception noted above).
Feb 07 2006, 12:59 pm #185
JoannaP
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Germany - The Wild South
Posts: 360
Ugh, finally got it.
Viggo surprised me again. From what he was saying over the last years, and also from his last books I thought he NEVER again would open himself in any of his new works. Miyelo, For Wellington and Horse is Good are still personal books, but the Viggo-the real person seems not to be present in them so much like in CoM, or SL, or RF. But he did it again now, well knowing about the resonance it would rise... Erm... I mean -- knowing there are people like us picking on every line, trying to find meanings and links to his private life, it is a brave decision.
Still haven't read the textes carefully enough to really understand them, but I absolutely love the pictures. IMHO they have one thing in common: they are dark, both technically and in the mood. Even the pics taken in sunny Spain look like taken in winter somewhere in the North.
As for the feeling it evokes in me -- I could hardly define it, until while reading others posts I realized that it makes me feel like I felt after finishing LOTR, the book. A feeling of sadness, not completely hopeless, but fully aware that there is no happy ending if you tell the story to the end.
Sat May 27 2006, 10:54 am #230
Makamu
Join Date: Feb 2006
Posts: 43
I just received my copy of "Linger" yesterday (yay for the anniversary sale at PP ) and of course went straight for it.
The whole book felt very intense and multi-layered to me but one of the first things that struck me was that most of the photos had a blurry quality to themselves as if he were trying to catch the *absense* of a thing rather than the thing itself.
Another thing (I hesitate to call it a 'theme') I noticed was that most of the pictures and poems could be related to communication (both verbal and non-verbal) and understanding (yourself and others) in some way or other, even across such barriers (or 'nets' to use a phrase from the James Joyce quote) as death.
I always understood the title of the hauntingly beautiful 'Back to Babylon' poem as showing exactly how the war in Iraq maybe half-consciously perverts this by taking the fruits of fundamental misconceptions of self and other back to the place where a) historically writing and large cities and states originated and b) biblically the 'one speech' of humans was fractured and broken, making communication a lot harder to achieve...
I am sure this doesn't make much sense to anyone but me, but I will post more individual insights on each piece once I have time to really look at them
Maka
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Dedications: for Brigit, Scout, Bella, Kate, Tessa, Jenny, Spot, Magic, Dia, Elektra, Blitz, and Twelve -- to name a few
