josef chladek

on photobooks and books

Paul Graham - American Night, SteidlMACK, 2003, London

 

Clothbound hardcover. Awards: Deutscher Fotobuchpreis 2004, British D&AD Silver Award 2004, Die Schönsten deutschen Bücher 2003.
Paul Graham's photographs touch upon the social fracture of America — the great divide — between included and excluded, white and black, have and have-not. It is a simple topic, shunned these days or only dealt with in clichéd photo-journalism. American Night embraces this neglected territory in a series of shocking images which lodge firmly in our consciousness as they negotiate the boundaries of art and document.

The majority of the images are high key photographs which give the feeling of stepping out of a sheltered place into bright sunlight, temporarily blinding the viewer with an overwhelming whiteness. Drained of colour, shadow and form, they resonate with the lives of those they portray walking, carrying, waiting and wandering in the bleached landscape. Then suddenly the sequence snaps to a vibrant full colour image of a freshly minted ‘dream home’ — blue sky, green grass and a verdant palette that is perfect beyond attainment — before returning to the glare of this endless emptiness. A dense series of dark street portraits also disrupts this narrative of light, adding a claustrophobic intensity to the searing reality of the dispossessed in contemporary America.

Pages: 128
Place: London
Year: 2003
Publisher: SteidlMACK
Size: 39 x 29 cm (approx.)







 Paul Graham - American Night (Front)

Paul Graham - American Night (Front)

 Paul Graham - American Night (Spine)

Paul Graham - American Night (Spine)

 Paul Graham - American Night (Back)

Paul Graham - American Night (Back)




Sample page 1 for book  Paul Graham – American Night

Sample page 1 for book " Paul Graham – American Night", josefchladek.com

Sample page 2 for book  Paul Graham – American Night

Sample page 2 for book " Paul Graham – American Night", josefchladek.com

Sample page 3 for book  Paul Graham – American Night

Sample page 3 for book " Paul Graham – American Night", josefchladek.com

Sample page 4 for book  Paul Graham – American Night

Sample page 4 for book " Paul Graham – American Night", josefchladek.com

Sample page 5 for book  Paul Graham – American Night

Sample page 5 for book " Paul Graham – American Night", josefchladek.com

Sample page 6 for book  Paul Graham – American Night

Sample page 6 for book " Paul Graham – American Night", josefchladek.com

Sample page 7 for book  Paul Graham – American Night

Sample page 7 for book " Paul Graham – American Night", josefchladek.com

Sample page 8 for book  Paul Graham – American Night

Sample page 8 for book " Paul Graham – American Night", josefchladek.com

Sample page 9 for book  Paul Graham – American Night

Sample page 9 for book " Paul Graham – American Night", josefchladek.com

Sample page 10 for book  Paul Graham – American Night

Sample page 10 for book " Paul Graham – American Night", josefchladek.com

Sample page 11 for book  Paul Graham – American Night

Sample page 11 for book " Paul Graham – American Night", josefchladek.com

Sample page 12 for book  Paul Graham – American Night

Sample page 12 for book " Paul Graham – American Night", josefchladek.com

Sample page 13 for book  Paul Graham – American Night

Sample page 13 for book " Paul Graham – American Night", josefchladek.com

Sample page 14 for book  Paul Graham – American Night

Sample page 14 for book " Paul Graham – American Night", josefchladek.com

Sample page 15 for book  Paul Graham – American Night

Sample page 15 for book " Paul Graham – American Night", josefchladek.com

Sample page 16 for book  Paul Graham – American Night

Sample page 16 for book " Paul Graham – American Night", josefchladek.com

Sample page 17 for book  Paul Graham – American Night

Sample page 17 for book " Paul Graham – American Night", josefchladek.com

Sample page 18 for book  Paul Graham – American Night

Sample page 18 for book " Paul Graham – American Night", josefchladek.com

Sample page 19 for book  Paul Graham – American Night

Sample page 19 for book " Paul Graham – American Night", josefchladek.com

Sample page 20 for book  Paul Graham – American Night

Sample page 20 for book " Paul Graham – American Night", josefchladek.com

Sample page 21 for book  Paul Graham – American Night

Sample page 21 for book " Paul Graham – American Night", josefchladek.com

Other books by Paul Graham (see all)
Other books tagged UK (see all)
Other books tagged America (see all)
Other books by SteidlMACK (see all)


 

Clothbound hardcover. Awards: Deutscher Fotobuchpreis 2004, British D&AD Silver Award 2004, Die Schönsten deutschen Bücher 2003.
Paul Graham's photographs touch upon the social fracture of America — the great divide — between included and excluded, white and black, have and have-not. It is a simple topic, shunned these days or only dealt with in clichéd photo-journalism. American Night embraces this neglected territory in a series of shocking images which lodge firmly in our consciousness as they negotiate the boundaries of art and document.

The majority of the images are high key photographs which give the feeling of stepping out of a sheltered place into bright sunlight, temporarily blinding the viewer with an overwhelming whiteness. Drained of colour, shadow and form, they resonate with the lives of those they portray walking, carrying, waiting and wandering in the bleached landscape. Then suddenly the sequence snaps to a vibrant full colour image of a freshly minted ‘dream home’ — blue sky, green grass and a verdant palette that is perfect beyond attainment — before returning to the glare of this endless emptiness. A dense series of dark street portraits also disrupts this narrative of light, adding a claustrophobic intensity to the searing reality of the dispossessed in contemporary America.

Pages: 128
Place: London
Year: 2003
Publisher: SteidlMACK
Size: 39 x 29 cm (approx.)