In this latest monograph, Josef Hoflehner takes us on a far more buoyant, and perhaps complex, journey than any of his former works. The images in Jet Airliner express the childlike wonder many of us experienced as we gazed toward the sky and caught an exhilarating glimpse of something that amazed us for the very first time. Simultaneously, these massive technological winged giants towering over the human race create an ironic, and at times, foreboding, man versus nature sensation that a leaves a powerful residue.


I have always been fascinated with the nature of flight, spent much of my childhood in a private plane my father piloted, yet have mixed feelings about commercial air travel. No image in this monograph represents these feelings better than Hoflehner's KLM Royal Dutch Airlines Boeing 747-400, arriving from Amsterdam-Schiphol. The image depicts a massive airliner preparing to touch down as it passes over a beachside street with tourists gathering to witness the event directly above their heads. A large sign reading, "Danger, jet blast of departing and arriving aircraft can cause severe physical harm resulting in extreme bodily harm and/or death," resides like an albatross perched in front of the gates surrounding the landing field. Like moths driven to a flame, crowds flock to the site despite warnings, if only to catch a thrill that tempts mortality for a flash of a second.





Jet Airliner is a thoroughly engaging monograph that hits the mark despite being a brief 17 plates. Conversely, due to the lack of an introduction or essay, I found myself desiring an explanation from the artist about the work. On one hand, the absence of words was effective, as it allowed this viewer to become completely immersed in the imagery. On the other hand, I was left asking questions that could not be answered within the context of the book. In attempt to obtain more answers, I researched this body of work further and was intrigued to learn all the images were taken of arriving and departing airplanes over Maho Beach on the Caribbean island of St Maarten. Regardless of being one of the busiest airports in the Caribbean, there are only a few landings per day-making Hoflehner's dedication to this work even more impressive and captivating. —Susan Burnstine