Henry Wessel: A Photographic Legacy
The book “Soft Eyes” brings together the work of the late photographer Henry Wessel and two contemporary artists, Austin Leong and Adrian Martinez, in an exploration of artistic influence and the enduring lineage of photographic vision.
Through previously unpublished photographs by Henry Wessel and new work by Leong and Martinez, the book reveals a shared fascination with California’s landscapes, vernacular architecture, and understated moments of beauty. Henry Wessel’s distinct visual language, marked by a quiet aesthetic, resonates deeply in the contributions of his successors.
© Henry Wessel
© Austin Leong
© Adrian Martinez
© Austin Leong
The young artists’ photos were also captured in black and white 35 mm, extending the late photographer’s perspective and style into the present. As Henry Wessel said, describing his way to look for photographs: "Soft eyes is a physical sensation. You are not looking for something. You are open, receptive. At some point you are in front of something that you cannot ignore.”
© Henry Wessel
© Adrian Martinez
© Austin Leong
The book “Soft Eyes” is published by Deadbeat Club and available at the price of 63 Euro.
