Aperture 96 is a landmark issue of the prestigious photography journal, primarily dedicated to William Eggleston’s “Graceland” project. Commissioned in 1983, shortly after the estate of Elvis Presley was opened to the public, Eggleston’s photographs offer a startlingly intimate and unsentimental view of the legendary home. Rather than focusing on the celebrity of Presley, Eggleston directs his “democratic” gaze toward the vibrant, often garish interior decor—the velvet textures, neon lighting, and cluttered memorabilia that define the King’s private sanctuary. This issue serves as a critical first publication of these images, which would eventually become some of the most famous examples of the New Color movement. The photographs are accompanied by a thoughtful text that explores the intersection of Southern mythology, pop culture, and Eggleston’s revolutionary use of color dye-transfer aesthetics in a domestic setting.
