Introduction

Checklist

Nigel Poor
Found

Betsy Davids
Cube

Kenneth Wilkes
Lost and Found

Other exhibitions

Green Chair Press

Curators: John DeMerritt and Steve Woodall

Introduction

There is the question of where to look for our photographic auteurs: in the mass-circulation magazines, or on the gallery wall? We believe that there is a discernible third, intermediate forum for the photographic auteur—the medium of the photobook—and that this can be considered photography's "natural" home.
   —Martin Parr and Gerry Badger, The Photobook: A History, vol. 1

PHOTO BOOKS NOW is a title John DeMerritt and I regretted almost as soon as we committed to it, under pressure of publication deadline. For some it may connote an idea of equating new with progressive, when in fact some of the most advanced photo book concepts and structures are not new at all. Also, the presence here of books dating from the 1960's gives 'now' a rather elastic interpretation. At any rate, what is undeniably changing is that the assembly and production of these books is coming within the means and understanding of far more artists and photographers. This is certainly due in part to advances in digital technology, but can also be attributed to the fact that the production of handmade books has itself become a mainstream practice in the art world. As one of the many subgenres of the artist's book we're seeing the rapid flourishing of a form that combines photography with the book in a radical way, and is greater than the sum of its parts.

Martin Parr and Gerry Badger, in the monumental work quoted above, demonstrate clearly the power of this vastly under-recognized genre throughout the history of photography, and it's exciting to see innovative forms of the photo book continue to emerge as traditional ones continue to evolve. To name only one example, there is the transfiguration of the personal photo journal or album, an adaptable archetype that finds several expressions here, with fascinating relationships among artists who have never met one another and may not even be aware of one another's work. For example, there is a very strong kinship between the work of Wallace Berman (b.1926) and Sara Press, some 50 years his junior. Whether or not he is a conscious influence, Berman's daemon has obvious staying power, and hovers around the peripheries of this exhibition.

Some of the freshest expression in photographic book art is coming out of teaching institutions, where students are primed to exploit the advantages of all photo technologies, from the very new to the very old. The San Francisco Center for the Book, as a participant in the Center for Word, Text and Image at the San Francisco Art Institute, has developed ties with the school's photography department, and the strong presence of SFAI is seen in this exhibition in the work of students, faculty and alumni. Both Linda Connor and Jack Fulton, who has taught at SFAI for over three decades, have helped maintain high technical standards while encouraging experimentation. Co-curator John DeMerritt and Michael Creeden have for the past several years taught an influential course in the photographic book at SFAI, and book artist/photographer Susannah Hays has been a strong presence there as well.

The classic problem in a show of books, at least traditional codex books, is display. Unless the book can be handled-not a practical possibility in a show of handmade, limited edition books-the viewer can see only a single page spread. In a form that depends so much on sequence and visual narrative, this can be a severe, even fatal, restriction. We rejected a number of outstanding books solely on the basis of this difficulty in favor of books that by their structure, radical graphic concept, or use of labor-intensive technology, either show new possibilities for photographers and photo artists or make a more viable display. When given the choice between a codex and a concertina from a given artist we almost always chose the concertina, even if we thought the codex was a stronger book. We have tried to mitigate the problem of display in other ways as well, by the use of a digital slide show and by making trade editions of photo books available for visitors to handle.

Our modest agenda at the Center for the Book, our private motto, is "world domination through book arts," and a primary objective of this exhibition is to bring the photo community into our evangelist's tent. We want photographers to be inspired to make books and to see a range of possibilities. The expressive bookform is destined to be an important art medium in the 21st Century, and photographers will certainly be among those at its vanguard.

Steve Woodall
Artistic Director
San Francisco Center for the Book