Pine Lake is a semi-fictional story about a multi-generational American rite of summer. It is a visual narrative about memories which have become incomplete with the passing of time. The concept for this artist photobook crystallized when I found photographs of my grandfathers fishing somewhere on a lake in Pennsylvania. Until that point in time, I had not been aware of my grandparent’s keen interest in fishing and thus my worn and faded photographs became symbols for the remaining bits and fragments of family memories. This is another book that continues my investigation of memory and attempts to preserve it.

This hand made book is kinda complex and layered, with an outer hand made wooden frame & glued cover that has a rubber elastic band to close. Inside of this is a commercial plastic bag with a hand inscribed identification that holds the flip book and three pieces of memorabilia; a 1950 Michigan fishing stamp, a Pennsylvania fishing notice and a length of fishing line with a small split-weight attached (almost transparent), all of which are metaphors for aspects of memory. The flip book is similar in design to a 1960's Kodak or Ansco promotional processing booklet, including the use of an aluminum prong to bind the pages. (The prong binding is not permanent and invites the viewer to reorder the pages). What cannot be seen in the photos but observed when reviewing the flip-book is that one of the interior pages is torn out along a perforation line, very similar to finding an old picture album and noticing some missing photographs. Btw, the 1960's Ansco booklet pages were perforated to facilitate easy removal by the photographer. The missing photo-page occurs during the sequence of night of fishing, playing cards and someone passing out (crashing) on a couch, so it is an opportunity for the reader to speculate on what happened that evening and symbolic of ensuing family escapades that are handed down as family lore. (Douglas Stockdale)

Specs/order:

- additional contributors; anonymous photographers
- Type of publication/Description: stiff cover flip-book with memorabilia housed inside a custom made wood frame with cover and elastic closure
- Number of pages, size: 17 pages, three items of memorabilia; 8 ½” x 10” x 7/16” (210 mm x 250 mm x 100 mm)
- Edition size: 25
- type of printing; laser
- Price: $100 USD (USA), 85 Euros (Europe), 12,500 yen (Japan)
Available:
As Issued art + design, bookstore, The LAB, Costa Mesa, CA
Reminders Photography Stronghold, gallery, Tokyo, Japan
L’Ascenseur Vegetal, web photobook store, France

Web site link
Posted on Douglas' blog The Photobook

Douglas Stockdale - Pine Lake