Category Archives: Books

Books I’ve found of interest. Primarily photographic books.

Printed Matter’s LA Art Book Fair

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Printed Matter’s LA Art Book Fair was held January 31st to February 2nd at The Geffen Contemporary at MOCA. I attended on February 1st and spent five hours perusing the books presented by 250+ vendors. I concentrated my search on photography books only, which cut out at least half of the vendors.

At Conveyor Editions I picked up a signed copy of Strange Paradise by Charlie Rubin, which also came with a small paper bag containing two postcards, a sticker and a poem. Conveyor Editions were also showing Visible Spectrum, a set of books by Penelope Umbrico, Hannah Whitaker, Brea Souders, Andrey Bogush, Robert Canali, Inka & Niclas, Dillon DeWaters, and Nicholas Gottlund.

At Pau Wau Publications I picked up Muses Volume 3 with work by Francesco Nazardo & Chiara Clarke Siravo, Fryd Frydendahl, Jen Davis, Jim Mangan, and Jordan Sullivan. This is a set of five booklets, each containing eight pages which unfold into a poster, all enclosed in an envelope with a slip sheet. This is one of the more unique handmade books I saw at the fair. I would’ve liked to have seen more books like this.

I picked up a signed copy of Todd Hido’s Excerpts From Silver Meadows at the Ampersand Gallery and Fine Books space. The book is a whopping 14″x17″x1″. Heading to the airport the next morning, I wondered if the book would count as my small personal carry on item. Luckily, the flight wasn’t full so I was able to carry it and my bag onto the plane after TSA searched my bag, which is a fairly common occurrence when I travel with cameras. This time, a Holga and six rolls of film, a Canon PowerShot, and a GoPro. On the flight to L.A., the bag made it through okay, but TSA had to swab my hands for residue. I guess they need to do something.

Bought a copy of Printed Web #1 at the Library of the Printed Web table. Printed on newsprint, almost the size of the Hido book, it contains the work of Hito Steyerl, Joachim Schmid, Penelope Umbrico, Christian Bok, Clement Valla, Kenneth Goldsmith, David Horvitz, Chris Alexander, Mishka Henner, &, and Benjamin Shaykin. It’ll be interesting to see what comes in the second edition.

And finally, I purchased a copy of Supermarket by Rudy VanderLans from Gallery 16 for less than half price. I like the design and page layout of this book.

Ken Rosenthal’s Equus

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Title: Equus
Size: 5″x7″
Edition: 25
Medium: Toned Silver Gelatin Print on Fiber Paper
Price: $100 Signed

Available at Fraction Holiday Print Sale.

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Print + Book Bundle:
Title: “Ken Rosenthal : Photographs 2001-2009″ w/ a print of Equus
Size: Catalogue + 5″x7” print
Edition: 25
Medium: Toned Silver Gelatin Print on Fiber Paper with a softbound book.
Price: $125 Signed

Available at Fraction Holiday Print Sale.

Ken’s website.

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There is something about clouds that capture our imagination.

In Ken Rosenthal’s photograph, Equus, we see the shape, imagine the form, of a horse comprised of the same ethereal condensed vapor it is galloping from, mane flowing, captured for a fleeting moment before it dissipates and disappears.

I remember lying on my back in the grass as a boy, surrounded by friends, looking straight up at the sky, pointing out each cloud overhead, calling names of things we saw in their changing shapes – hand, face, dog.  We would lie on the ground for what seemed hours, but in reality was only minutes, laughing, dreaming, before we rose, bare legs and arms itchy from the grass, to follow another pursuit.

How often have we, as adults, taken the time to lie in the grass, surrounded by friends, looked straight up at the sky, pointed out each cloud overhead, given names to things we saw in their changing shapes?

Hand, face, dog, equus.