AVEDON, Richard. In the American West 1979-1984. New York: Harry N. Abrams, (1985). Folio, original tan cloth, mounted photographic cover illustrations.
First edition of Avedon’s photobook tribute to contemporary western life, boldly inscribed in the year of publication to Paul Gottlieb, the innovative editor-in-chief of Abrams, “To Paul, with gratitude, Dick Avedon, ’85,” with 113 black-and-white photogravure plates, “amongst the most powerful” of Avedon’s photographs (Parr & Badger II).
In a photobook that reaffirmed “everything Avedon did was transformed and stamped with his own genius,” In the American West emerged from the photographer’s extensive travels across the West, “giving us his personal view of the frontier spirit, which meant puncturing a few myths and constructing some new ones… The haunting portraits in this book are amongst the most powerful that even Avedon has made’ (Parr & Badger II:38). In the American West was commissioned by the Amon Carter Museum in Fort Worth, Texas after its director, Mitchell Wilder, saw Avedon’s photograph of Wilbur Powell, ranch foreman in Montana (the last image in this book). Avedon’s warm inscription is to Paul Gottlieb, the legendary editor-in-chief at Abrams for over two decades, whose innovative leadership made Abrams “the dominant art book publisher in the United States” during his tenure (New York Times). Gottlieb, who died in 2002, was also an executive director of Aperture; this copy from his personal library.
A fine inscribed copy with a memorable association.
First edition of Avedon’s photobook tribute to contemporary western life, boldly inscribed in the year of publication to Paul Gottlieb, the innovative editor-in-chief of Abrams, “To Paul, with gratitude, Dick Avedon, ’85,” with 113 black-and-white photogravure plates, “amongst the most powerful” of Avedon’s photographs (Parr & Badger II).
In a photobook that reaffirmed “everything Avedon did was transformed and stamped with his own genius,” In the American West emerged from the photographer’s extensive travels across the West, “giving us his personal view of the frontier spirit, which meant puncturing a few myths and constructing some new ones… The haunting portraits in this book are amongst the most powerful that even Avedon has made’ (Parr & Badger II:38). In the American West was commissioned by the Amon Carter Museum in Fort Worth, Texas after its director, Mitchell Wilder, saw Avedon’s photograph of Wilbur Powell, ranch foreman in Montana (the last image in this book). Avedon’s warm inscription is to Paul Gottlieb, the legendary editor-in-chief at Abrams for over two decades, whose innovative leadership made Abrams “the dominant art book publisher in the United States” during his tenure (New York Times). Gottlieb, who died in 2002, was also an executive director of Aperture; this copy from his personal library.
A fine inscribed copy with a memorable association.
