Articles

Candida Höfer’s book, Libraries, is a photographic exploration of library interiors worldwide, showcasing their architectural and cultural diversity. The images focus on the core spaces of libraries—halls, shelves, reading areas, and computer terminals—often excluding people to emphasize structural design. Höfer uses large format color photography to capture details ranging from grand, ornate spaces to the intimate, worn bindings of books. The work reflects on libraries as repositories of knowledge and cultural identity, highlighting their evolving role in the digital age. An essay by Umberto Eco provides an insightful introduction to the book’s themes. Read Article

Candida Höfer's exhibition at Sean Kelly Gallery, titled "Candida Höfer – In Mexico," features her large-format, geometric photographs of Mexican architecture and interiors. The works focus on themes spanning indigenous culture, the Catholic Church, political independence struggles, and modernism. Höfer's precise images capture sites like the 17th-century Iglesia de Santa Maria Tonantzintla and the Hospicio Cabañas, highlighting their historical and sociopolitical significance. The exhibition also explores the installation context of the photos, presenting multiple views of the same locations to create dynamic spatial relationships. Read Article

Candida Höfer’s exhibition “In Mexico” at Sean Kelly Gallery features 26 color photographs taken in 2015, depicting Mexico’s ornate architectural interiors including theaters, churches, and museums. The works range in size and are printed as c-prints with editions of six plus artist proofs. Alongside the photographs, two HD slide projections from 2016 present additional imagery featuring textures and architectural geometries. Höfer’s characteristic style of people-free, detailed, and exacting compositions is evident, yet some images use optical flattening and closer focuses to explore new perspectives within her established aesthetic. A monograph with 65 color images was published in 2016 by Distanz. Read Article

Award-winning photographer Chester Higgins' book Sacred Nile offers a profound visual journey through the spiritual heritage of the Nile Valley. The collection showcases sacred sites and rituals from Egypt, Ethiopia, and Sudan, highlighting the ancient roots of major world religions such as Islam, Christianity, and Judaism. Through meticulously captured images, Higgins documents centuries-old religious practices and the bond between the African landscape and faith. The book also challenges Eurocentric narratives by emphasizing black contributions to ancient civilizations and religious traditions. Read Article

This review presents an in-depth discussion of Chester Higgins' 2021 photobook, Sacred Nile, which explores the spiritual and cultural heritage of the Nile region through stunning photography and rich texts. The book is a visual record of faith documenting African and African-American spiritual histories, ancient rituals, sacred art, and the landscape. Higgins’ work is praised for reclaiming Africa’s intellectual and spiritual sovereignty, presenting an extensive study of the religious connections between ancient Egypt, Nubia, and Ethiopia. The review emphasizes the book’s scholarly endorsements and its challenge to mainstream perspectives on African civilizations. Read Article

Herb Boyd reviews three noteworthy books: "Sacred Nile" by Chester Higgins and Betsy Kissam, a stunning exploration of ancient African civilizations through photography and text; "Sometimes Farmgirls Become Revolutionaries" by Florence L. Tate and Jake-Ann Jones, an autobiographical account of Tate's activism and struggles during the civil rights era; and "Philip Payton—The Father of Black Harlem" by Kevin McGruder, which highlights Payton's pivotal role in Harlem's development and Black real estate history in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Read Article

Published in 2024 by Kehrer Verlag, Lisa McCord's monograph "Rotan Switch" is a 204-page cloth hardcover featuring 25 color and 55 tritone photographs. The work documents the Rotan farm in Arkansas, tracing McCord's family history and the Black farmworkers who lived and worked there from the late 1970s to the early 1980s. The book combines personal memoir with social history, revealing the complex power dynamics within a rural Southern community. Accompanied by essays and designed by Caleb Cain Marcus, the photobook presents candid and tender portraits while acknowledging the photographer's own privilege and family’s role in local social and economic structures. Read Article

Lisa McCord’s photobook "Rotan Switch" offers an immersive experience combining content, design, and emotion. The unique layout mimics a conversation, inviting readers into the life on her grandparents’ cotton farm in Rotan, Arkansas. Its unconventional structure uses large text blocks and interspersed images to tell a deeply personal story reflecting family life, labor, and racial dynamics in the Arkansas Delta. McCord’s photographs include both her own and found images, capturing moments of joy, struggle, and community in vivid detail. The book’s innovative design and compelling narrative create a dynamic dialogue between the author and reader. Read Article

Rotan Switch is an autobiographical photo book by Lisa McCord that documents life on her grandparents’ cotton farm in Rotan, Arkansas. Spanning 45 years from 1978 to 2021, it explores the rural South's socioeconomic and racial complexities through intimate images of five generations of a community. McCord, a white photographer and landowner's granddaughter, reflects on her own privilege and the intertwined histories of industry, agriculture, racism, and injustice in this unique place. The narrative unfolds like a family album or diary, inviting readers to engage deeply with its themes of connection, separation, and home. Read Article

“Rotan Switch” by Lisa McCord is a deeply personal photographic memoir that explores her hometown in Arkansas over more than forty years. The book blends social, geographic, and autobiographical narratives, documenting the complexities of race, class, and community through intimate black-and-white images. Unlike typical photo books, it is meant to be read like literature, presenting a compelling story that captures the nuances of life in a rural Southern town. The book combines family photography with broader social commentary, enriched by multiple voices reflecting on the shared history and context. Read Article

Paul McCartney’s book "1964: Eyes of the Storm" is a detailed exploration of the Beatles' pivotal year during their rise to international fame. Featuring nearly a thousand photographs taken by McCartney and others from late 1963 to early 1964, the collection highlights their tours from Liverpool to the United States, including their iconic Ed Sullivan Show performance. The book includes insightful commentary from McCartney on photography and personal memories, alongside a contextual essay by Jill Lepore that situates their fame within cultural history. This photobook offers a candid insider’s view of the Beatles’ journey through Beatlemania, capturing both intimate and historic moments. Read Article

The exhibition "Eyes of the Storm" at London's National Portrait Gallery showcases Paul McCartney's photographs taken between December 1963 and February 1964, a transformative period when The Beatles rose from local fame to global stardom. Featuring 250 backstage and off-duty images, the collection captures moments from their UK tour, performances in Paris's Olympia music hall, and their breakthrough in the US with appearances on the Ed Sullivan Show. McCartney's candid shots offer an intimate glimpse into the early days of Beatlemania and the cultural shift they inspired. Read Article