Review by Douglas Stockdale • This retrospective monograph that explores one of John Divola’s urban landscapeprojects created between 1974 and 1975 while finishing his MFA at UCLA (1974). His practice was a form of what today we would call “staged photography”; creating (spray painting) structures and staging events for the single purpose of being photographed,... Continue Reading →
Louis Jay – Passing Fancies
Review by Gerhard Clausing • It is a pleasure to start 2019 with the presentation of such an attractive large-format photobook. Louis Jay, who worked as a commercial photographer for many years, has returned to his early love of photographing on the street, without succumbing to the clichés of street photography, but supplying streetscapes that... Continue Reading →
Jonas Yip and Wai-lim Yip – Somewhere Between
Review by Gerhard Clausing • Many of us have more than one national and ethnic background, and some of our derivation may be recognizable from our physical appearance, habits, or knowing more than one language, and familiarity with more than one culture. Some of us have a sense of affinity to several different cultural worlds... Continue Reading →
Andreas Herzau – AM
Review by Gerhard Clausing • Angela Merkel is certainly one of the wonders of the 21st century. As the first female German Chancellor, she wields her power in a rather unassuming and dutiful manner, without much of the pomp and swagger that marks other leaders. Photographs taken of her, for the most part, are marked... Continue Reading →
MAGNUM China
Magnum China, Edited by Colin Pantall and Zheng Ziyu Published by Thames & Hudson, copyright 2018 Essays; Colin Pantal, Zheng Ziyu, and Jonathan Fenby Text: English Hardcover with dust jacket, 376 pages, 350+ photographs and illustrations, printed and bound by Pacom, South Korea Notes: As a child raised on her American grandmother’s stories of moving... Continue Reading →
Simon Brugner – The Arsenic Eaters
Review by Gerhard Clausing • The southeastern Austrian region known in English as Styria, and in German as Steiermark, is a mostly rural area that has the city of Graz as its center of culture and population density. Little has been known about the area’s mostly rural practice of consuming arsenic, which goes back several... Continue Reading →
Interesting Artist and Photographic Books for 2018
As in years past TPBJ has been providing a short list of artistbooks and photobooks we have found to be very Interesting. These are books that we continue to return to in order to enjoy again. Our selection derives from books with intriguing photographic content, brilliant project concepts, excellent book designs that support the artist/photographer’s... Continue Reading →
Rose Steinmetz – Techenie (течение)
Review by Gerhard Clausing • I asked to review this project because it struck me as a challenging enigma. The photographer, Rose Steinmetz, who originally hails from the country of Georgia and now lives in Brazil, herself has a background that shares several cultural streams and influences. So it only seems fitting that this photographic... Continue Reading →
500 photobook reviews and counting!
Paul Kranzler & Andrew Phelps, The Drake Equation Late last month when we published our review of Paul Kranzler & Andrew Phelps photobook The Drake Equation, we also officially published our 500th photobook review. Wowzier!! I had started this book review blog in 2008 and little did I know that it would continue onward for another 10... Continue Reading →
Richard S. Chow – Urbanscape
Review by Gerhard Clausing • Having recently curated the ABSTRACT VISIONS Exhibition, I was very pleased to come across this work by Richard S. Chow. He is a prolific exhibitor in the Los Angeles area and internationally, has received a number of important awards for his work, and is also very active in furthering the... Continue Reading →