Tuesday, 8 January 2013

Lucas Samaras - Samaras Album



Brilliant artist book cited by both Bertolotti and Roth. "Everything Lucas Samaras has created is to a degree a self-portrait. This book - autobiographical psychoanalysis, autophoto album, autointerview - is a unique multimedia portrait of the artist. What he says becomes visible in his photographs, and the photographic images are implicit in his writing. A statement made by Samaras to the critic Lawrence Alloway six years ago provides a few clues to his subtle, devious, poetic contents of his works: 'The manner in which art objects are made are erotic gestures . in the presence of an artistic creation there is a seeming merging of the self with a highly erotic reality called beauty. The eroticism isn't connected with life and death or with a partner's changing moods it is continuous. AUTOEROTIC. Narcissism is making one's body into art.' Samaras has done just that in this most extraordinary book, which we consider his most important work to date." Jean Lipman.


Lisetta Carmi - I Travestiti



Shockingly rare. Cited by Parr/Badger in the photobook: a history vol.1. "In the wrong hands the subject of the transvestite can be voyeuristic.  It is to the credit of the Genoese photographer Lisetta Carmi that she never goes for the cheap shot as she explores Genoa’s transvestite quarter. This book is a serious study that makes an attempt to understand and empathize with the social and sexual phenomenon of the transvestite". An amazing and expertly executed study of transvestisim in Genoa during the late sixties and early seventies. Incredible images of the people and places that make up the narrative of the book. So good!

per spook, 1981


more jazzy jeff and fresh prince polaroid bizniss


Wednesday, 2 January 2013

African Elegance 1973




Really super book shot in the now former Republic of Transkei. Incredible beading, embroidery and draping. What distinguishes this book from many of the other books on similar subjects is that the focus is not too much on traditional and folk dress, but how it is mixed with western influences and updated to the present day (well, the early 70's).