In the American West, 1979-1984.
New York: Harry N. Abrams, 1985. First edition, first printing. Light brown coarse-grained cloth with photographic cover label, stamped in black, in publisher's mylar cover. 14.5" x 11" Light fading to board edges, still fine in near fine, gently scuffed and mildly cloudy publisher's mylar. Item #239116
AVEDON'S UNVARNISHED AMERICA
With raw clarity and monumental detail, Avedon's In the American West is a stark visual indictment of the American myth and a triumph of photographic artistry. These portraits expose the often invisible corners of the American West, rendered with the grit, individuality, and detail that undoubtedly textures the region's underexamined realities. Early criticism accused Avedon of aestheticizing suffering, voyeurizing blue-collar life, and dismantling the inherited mythology of the West. This is no celebration of cowboys and frontier lore—it is a haunting, necessary confrontation with American reality. Despite the constroversy, In the American West endures as a profound visual record of the nation’s neglected margins.
This copy boats Avedon's swooping signature, dated just the year after publication.
Price: $750.00