Seeing As: René Balcer

René Balcer, 2023
Award-winning writer René Balcer is best known for his hit series Law & Order and Criminal Intent. Much less is known about his startling photographic work, shared only with his close friends and colleagues—until now. This offers 500 photographs showcasing Balcer’s trademark crime scene aesthetic. The stunning images range from West Africa to the Utah desert, from a remote Arctic village to a seedy Brooklyn bar, with photos full of narrative mystery. There is a section on pre-Covid China, a China many say has since vanished. Also included is a unique homage to Balcer’s adoptive city of Los Angeles, and a ground-breaking photo-essay on Buenos Aires’s posh Recoleta neighborhood. Marked by wry social commentary and breath-taking beauty and framed by insightful essays from noted contemporary art expert Robert Hobbs, renowned artist Xu Bing, and bestselling mystery writer Naomi Hirahara, these compelling never-before-seen photographs are now presented in a glorious high-quality publication.
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