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Life and Loss: Alessandra Sanguinetti’s On the Sixth Day as a Visual Elegy – Book Review
Life and Loss: Alessandra Sanguinetti’s On the Sixth Day as a Visual Elegy – Book Review Alessandra Sanguinetti’s On the Sixth Day, republished by Mack Books in 2023, is an evocative photobook exploring the lives of animals on a rural Argentine farm. Initially released in 2005 and celebrated for its unsentimental portrayal of life and death in the animal world, this expanded edition includes previously unseen images, enriching the powerful narrative. The title references the biblical creation story, in which animals and humans were brought into existence on the sixth day, grounding the work in a thematic exploration of creation, existence, and mortality. The result is a profoundly poetic and…
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Carmen Winant’s My Birth: A Raw and Transformative Portrait of Creation – Book Review
Carmen Winant’s My Birth: A Raw and Transformative Portrait of Creation – Book Review Carmen Winant’s My Birth is a striking and profoundly introspective photobook that delves into childbirth’s physical, emotional, and societal dimensions. This edition, published by Mack Books in 2024, expands on themes Winant has previously explored, blending personal history with collective experience. The book juxtaposes images of her mother’s births with found photographs of anonymous women during labour, creating a visual tapestry that celebrates birth as both an intimate and communal act. To purchase this book, please go here. All images – Courtesy of the artist and MACK. A Visual Journey Through Birth The book’s structure follows…
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Ray’s a Laugh: A Human Portrait Through Time – Book Review
Ray’s a Laugh: A Human Portrait Through Time – Book Review Richard Billingham’s Ray’s a Laugh has long been hailed as one of the most significant works in contemporary photography. Initially published in the mid-1990s, the photobook offered a brutally honest and raw portrayal of Billingham’s family, particularly his father, Ray, and his mother, Liz, in their cluttered, working-class Birmingham flat. In 2024, Mack Books reissued this iconic work, recontextualizing the original images while expanding the narrative to offer new depth and understanding of the family dynamics. The 2024 edition, referred to as Billingham’s “director’s cut,” expands on the original, offering a more comprehensive collection of images alongside a more…
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The Greatest Mobile Art Pic of the Day (1,869)
Here’s day one thousand eight hundred and sixty-nine of our mobile photography/art Pic of the Day section via Instagram. Today, we are proud to select @stephen.shore with this image untitled. If you’re not familiar with Stephen Shore then allow me to explain. He is a renowned photographer from America, having participated in several photography movements in the last century, such as New Topographics. He has long paid attention to banal, ordinary, and unnoticed aspects of life, which can also be called snapshot aesthetic. His iconic series are American Surfaces and Uncommon Places. He has been shooting works with his iPhone and posting them on Instagram since 2014, and successfully brought Instagram photos to exhibitions in MoMA…
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Mobile Photography & Art Flickr/Instagram Showcase – 26 June 2022
This week my favourite book publisher, MACK books sent me their title SCUMB Manifesto by Justine Kurland, to review and I love it! Inspired by Valerie Solanas’ iconoclastic feminist tract SCUM (Society for Cutting Up Men), SCUMB Manifesto introduces us to photographer Justine Kurland’s own uncompromising initiative: the Society for Cutting Up Men’s Books. And she does just that, books by 150 white straight men are cut up and reconfigured into her own intricate interpretation. Books by Stephen Shore (American Surfaces), William Eggleston (Los Alamos), Larry Clark’s (Tusla), Martin Parr’s (Think of England), Alec Soth’s (Sleeping by the Mississippi), Brassaï’s (Paris by Night) and last but not all, Robert Frank’s (The…
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Book Review – Pictures from Home by Larry Sultan
The work was “about family history and the American dream, and how those two intersect,” Larry Sultan told The Times in 1989. “My father bought a one-way ticket from New York in 1949 and ended up in a dream house in Sherman Oaks. It was part of the cultural myth of the ‘50s about going west.” Larry Sultan was born in Brooklyn on 13 July 1946, but he primarily grew up in Los Angeles, California and graduated college with a degree in Political Science at UCLA and UCSB. He began photographing in 1968, for the Chicago Seed and the Good Times. “It was the psychedelic culture and photographing rallies and…
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Photo Book Review – Unveiling London’s Architectural Identity: Karin Templin’s “At Home in London: The Mansion Block”
Photo Book Review – Unveiling London’s Architectural Identity: Karin Templin’s “At Home in London: The Mansion Block” All images – Courtesy of the artist and MACK. In the bustling realm of urban architecture and visual storytelling, two distinct voices rise to the forefront, offering their unique perspectives on the intricate fabric of city life. Karin Templin, an architectural visionary and urban designer, collaborates with photographer Matthew Blunderfield to weave a narrative that delves deep into the heart of London’s architectural identity. Through their collaborative efforts and individual expertise, Templin and Blunderfield bring forth a comprehensive exploration that transcends mere buildings, capturing the essence of the city’s past, present, and future.…
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Photo Book Review – Larry Sultan’s ‘Swimmers’: A Fascinating and Immersive Dive into Emotion and Eternity
Photo Book Review – Larry Sultan’s ‘Swimmers’: A Fascinating and Immersive Dive into Emotion and Eternity All images – Courtesy of the artist and MACK. Larry Sultan, a luminary of the photographic world, left an indelible mark on visual storytelling through his captivating body of work. His exploration of the human experience and memory unfolds in his masterpiece, “Swimmers.” This comprehensive review delves into Sultan’s artistic journey, the profound context of ‘Swimmers,’ and the echoes of his legacy, marked by his passing, that resonate within the series. The review examines Sultan’s career, the emotional intricacies of ‘Swimmers,’ and the impact of his artistic choices to illuminate the profound narrative that…
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Photo Book Review – A Pound of Pictures: Alec Soth’s Eclectic Ode to the Photographic Medium
Photo Book Review – A Pound of Pictures: Alec Soth’s Eclectic Ode to the Photographic Medium “A Pound of Pictures” presents a captivating journey through the lens of acclaimed photographer Alec Soth, showcasing a new and unique collection of work produced between 2018 and 2021. This stream-of-consciousness celebration of the photographic medium takes readers on a winding road trip of imagery, capturing a diverse array of subjects that range from the enigmatic allure of Buddhist statues and birdwatchers to the carefree spirit of sun-seekers and the stoic presence of busts portraying Abraham Lincoln. Through this book, Soth reflects on the profound desire to capture and immortalise experiences through printed images,…
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Stunning Photo Book Review – Unveiling the Enigmatic: Torbjørn Rødland’s ‘The Pregnant Virgin’
Stunning Photo Book Review – Unveiling the Enigmatic: Torbjørn Rødland’s ‘The Pregnant Virgin’ In the realm of contemporary photography, Torbjørn Rødland emerges as a luminary whose work defies conventional boundaries, inviting viewers on a journey of introspection and wonder. Renowned for his distinctive approach to image-making, Rødland’s photographs resonate with layers of symbolism, emotion, and thought-provoking narratives. With a portfolio that spans diverse genres, Rødland’s exploration of the human experience captivates and challenges in equal measure. All images – Courtesy of the artist and MACK. Born in Stavanger, Norway in 1970, Rødland’s journey into the world of photography began at an early age. His formative years were marked by a…