Juergen Teller, Self Service

I’m not a huge fan of limited editions. Simply adding a signed print to a book, even with a slipcase, does not add much to an artist’s book quality. Often, it is simply a non-creative way to feed an exclusive collectible market. There are a few exceptions to that rule however.
Juergen Teller’s Self Service #31 limited edition is one of them. This biannual fashion magazine celebrated Teller’s work with this hardcover special release of the magazine, signed and numbered by the artist, where all pages that were initially not referring to Teller’s images have been left blank. The result is a book with a true “artist book” feeling, mostly white, with different paper qualities. And of course, the book comes with a signed C-Print, actually a nice one (I sometimes think that photographers choose minor images for limited editions…), very typical of Juergen Teller “white flash” light.
At a moderate price tag of 160 EUR, it's a wonderful addition.

10 Books of the decade

Let's start this blog with a dangerous endeavor. An impossible one. Which books, published between 2000 and 2010, will eventually pass the test of time ? Not the best ones (on which criteria ?), but the most influential ones. Here is a list, of course subjective :

Paul Graham, Shimmer of Possibility
The 12 books set, published by SteidlMACK, will probably appear as a seminal work. Paul Graham here introduces a new form of photography, a narrative one, inspired by Chekhov short stories.

Luc Delahaye, History

Published by Chris Boot, this edition was limited to 100 copies. Good thing for collectors, but the work itself deserves a wider audience. Those who have seen the exhibition at Paris Maison Rouge were struck by Delahaye's ambiguous aesthetics. Is this documentary, is this art, can we do both without betraying the reality ?

David Goldblatt, Particulars
Goldblatt is widely known for his South African landscapes images. Particulars is a more muted work, truly universal. What is more, the book is exquisitely printed.

Wim Delvoye Sexrays

Artist's books had a difficult decade, especially when compared to the 70's. Initially designed to be a gallery catalogue, Sexrays stands out as a wonderful book object, bold and luxurious.

Bettina Rheims, Book of olga

Book lovers will probably underestimate this Taschen book. But Rheims' Olga, focusing only on a Russian billionaire's wife, with total freedom, will in the end be considered as the perfect symbol of a pre-crisis, bygone era.

Terry Richardson Kibosh

Here is a forecast: Kibosh will be a cult book. Richardson himself says that the book is the achievement of a lifetime. There are many other Richardson books (the Hysteric one, and Manimal, inspired by Abu Ghraib), but Kibosh is a "concentré" of his style.

Rinko Kawauchi, Aila

Kawauchi's work is sometimes viewed as too sentimental, simple, lyrical. This is exactly why Aila is a great book. Here the photographer focuses on simple things, all linked to a certain form of life. Looking at some images' association proves that the work is much more complex than previously thought.

Mitch Epstein, Family Business

This books is not a photobook. It is a novel, a deep, moving one. Epstein chronicles the bankruptcy of his father's business. The american flag hung against on a wall tells it all...

Juergen Teller, Marc Jacobs Advertising

This book is an awkward object. Too heavy, with a fragile binding. But it clearly shows how Juergen Teller has managed to create a visual style that will associated to the early 2000 years.

Ryan McGinley, Moonmilk
Hype people often love Ryan McGinley's work. Snob people hate it. In the end, Moonmilk is much more than a hype work. McGinley's fantasy world can be melancholic and, in every sense of the term, deep.