The Detective of the Sensitive. Pierre Sansot

Evaluates the unclassifiable work of Pierre Sansot, author of some 22 books since 1973; finds its main characteristics to be its non-ideological nature, its avoidance of academic conventions, & any element that he believed would diminish his sense of reality, a sense that included an awareness of incertitude. Identifies his characteristic subject matter as the visible aspects of social life, the physical milieu, especially urban, with its typical preoccupations such as sports & fashion. Notes he emphasizes the connection between populations & places, focusing on not reducing the materiality of urban civilization to mere arteries of conduct & commerce. In short, argues that Sansot presents their significance beyond the rational & practical. His approach is contrasted to that of Walter Benjamin or Andre Breton & his followers in that Sansot is said to examine surfaces rather than dealing with urban places in terms of their oneiric, internal dimension. Also praises the excellence of his writing style, noting that it approaches that of a professional novelist; adds his avoidance of bibliography & footnotes further suggests his non-academic perspective. R. Ruffin