Life and Loss: Alessandra Sanguinetti’s On the Sixth Day as a Visual Elegy – Photo Book Review
Life and Loss: Alessandra Sanguinetti’s On the Sixth Day as a Visual Elegy – Photo 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…
Book Review – Steel Town by Stephen Shore – MACK Books
Photo Book Review – Steel Town by Stephen Shore – MACK Books The first time I met Stephen Shore was in 2019 at Photo London, but I have known and been influenced by his work for far longer. At Photo London (during the Press Event) Shore was interviewed, alongside my friend Mary McCartney (daughter of Paul) by William A Ewing. Shore’s bestseller by MackBooks entitled Steel Town combines a series of images that he took in 1977 when he travelled across New York state, Pennsylvania and eastern Ohio – the latter amid industrial decline and soon to be known as the Rust Belt.
Photo Book Review – Pictures from Home by Larry Sultan
Photo 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…
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…
Photo Book Review – Beyond Caring by Paul Graham
Photo Book Review – Beyond Caring by Paul Graham Beyond Caring by Paul Graham is available from Mack Books, here. All images ©Paul Graham Paul Graham’s Beyond Caring is an extraordinary and poignant exploration of socio-political conditions in mid-1980s Britain, a work that operates at the intersection of documentary photography, social critique, and artistic innovation. Published in 1985, the photobook provides an unflinching visual narrative of the bleak environments of the United Kingdom’s Department of Health and Social Security (DHSS) offices, where the unemployed and socially disadvantaged were subjected to prolonged bureaucratic indifference. Graham’s work transcends mere documentation; it is a profound commentary on the human cost of systemic neglect,…
Book Review – Sophie Calle’s Take Care of Yourself
Book Review – Sophie Calle’s Take Care of Yourself As an avid collector of photobooks, readers will know of my deep fondness for second-hand bookshops, where I’m always on the lookout for hidden treasures. This week, my senses were finely attuned as I wandered into one such store, and to my delight, I came across a mint, first edition of Sophie Calle’s Take Care of Yourself. Having previously studied this remarkable work, I was thrilled to discover it on the shelf—a true gem I never expected to find. Stumbling upon this book felt like an extraordinary stroke of luck, and I couldn’t be more elated by the serendipity of it.…
Book Review: Painting Photography Painting by Carol Armstrong
Book Review: Painting Photography Painting by Carol Armstrong Painting Photography Painting: Selected Essays by Carol Armstrong, published by Mack Books in 2023, is an ambitious collection of essays that delves into the intersections of visual art forms, specifically painting and photography. This compilation represents Armstrong’s decades-long engagement with art history, feminist theory, and critical analysis of visual culture, making it an illuminating read for both art enthusiasts and academic audiences. Painting Photography Painting: Selected Essays All images – Courtesy of the artist and MACK. The Essence of Artistic Inquiry At the heart of Armstrong’s essays lies a compelling question: what defines a medium? This query is vividly explored in the…
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…
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…
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…
