The lens of André Kertész

16 songs, 1h12m. Featuring Erik Satie, Hania Rani, Brad Mehldau, Elliott Skinner, Aaron Parks, and more.

André Kertész was a pioneer of street photography (and the mirror selfie: here is one from 1927). Active in Hungary, Paris and New York City throughout a long life (1894-1985), Kertész was among the first photographers to capture the meaning in the mundane. He developed methods to exploit light in clever ways—a remarkable achievement when you consider that the technology cameras at the time could offer were not straightforward to manipulate and that he was an autodidact. He described his own work in terms of “writing with light”, the goal of which was not convey a particular message but to capture his subjects as they are. The meaning of the mundane is easy to overlook at first. Many of Kertész’ photos invite a second look.

I created playlist to spark an introspective mood, essential for finding meaning in the mundane. All songs have a solitary quality to them as well, which Kertész must have felt often while photographing the cheerful crowds on the terraces of Paris in the 1920. Satie’s three Danses de travers accompany people-watching perfectly: being near others but not quite with them is serene and a bit lonely. Solace and Here by Aaron Parks too tread the careful balance of the bliss and the loneliness of solitude, while The Dream Thief and Watercolors by Shai Maestro invite you to give in to the temptations of daydreaming. 24.03, The Boat and Nostalgia by Hania Rani—she has a good eye for photography too—capture the fuzziness and slowness of some night scenes; my favourite is this one taken in 1914 in Budapest.

The crown jewel of this playlist is Rose Water: a duet between singer Elliott Skinner and pianist James Francies. I have had it on repeat all weekend.

You can browse Kertész’s photography through the online collection of the Arts Initiative Chicago, The André Kertész Estate Instagram page, or the physical album published by Thames&Hudson.

Cover photo credit: Circus by André Kertész, taken in 1920, Budapest.

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