josef chladek

on photobooks and books

Douglas Stockdale - Bluewater Shore, Self published, 2017, Southern California

Stiff-cover book of 32 pages with 16 prong-bound pages in poly slip-cover, hand-inscribed, limited signed edition of 99.

"In the case of Douglas Stockdale’s Bluewater Shore, we have a hand-inscribed and hand-assembled limited edition artist book presenting a simulated drugstore-issued set of 16 prints that take the viewer on an imaginary trip taking place in the 1940s: a young woman traveling to “bluewater shore” with her women friends. Since that was a time in which women were able to feel some greater sense of self and independence, they were not accompanied by males as might have been the expected practice in previous times. We see them on their journey, we see them at the beach in various activities, and – lo and behold! – suddenly males also appear in the pictures. That’s where the story gets interesting – we don’t know who they are, or what relationships there are between them and the women, but we can project our ideas into the pictures. There are also some children in the photographs, and we don’t know whether they are relatives, or bystanders, or symbols of things to come. Since the roll of film fictitiously presented in this publication is made up of only 16 pictures and the people depicted are not available, we are only able to guess what might be taking place. Consider it a story puzzle that allows us to participate vicariously." (PhotoBook Journal)

https://www.douglasstockdale.com/books

Pages: 32
Place: Southern California
Year: 2017
Publisher: Self published
Size: 18 x 22 cm (approx.)