Tag: art

Steve Mumford’s Baghdad Journal

This is my brother Steve’s book, published in 2005. I still think its a stunning achievement. Why my brother felt a need to go to Iraq during wartime and draw pictures I can’t understand, but nevertheless he was called to this project, studied Arabic, grew a mustache, and went off armed with pen and paper and watercolors. That’s commitment.

Of course I’m biased but I think these drawings are very strong.…

The Keepers of Light

by William Crawford

It is subtitled “A history and working guide to early photographic processes”.

When I was in art school, at the University of Washington, this was my primary guide. It is no bible, because it is flawed in many respects—it contains many poor formulas, but it did get me experimenting with chemistry and making prints, and working out the key formulae for myself.  I made very many cyanotypes and salted paper prints.…

Havana: 1933

by Walker Evans

A very lovely project by Walker Evans as a young man. Much of the credit for this excellent monograph goes to curator Gilles Mora: Mora gives us full frame versions of Evans’ images. Evans typically cropped his photos, usually to their detriment.

Evans traveled to Cuba at an interesting time: just before the communist revolution. He was assigned to illustrate a socialist critique of Cuba’s Machado regime.…

From Uncertain to Blue

monograph by Keith Carter

Carter explored the tiny towns of west Texas with the goal of acquiring a single outstanding photo from each one. I guess there is no shortage of sweet tiny towns in west Texas.…