the family album of lucybelle crater
first edition, 1974.
“the family album of lucybelle crater” by ralph eugene meatyard presents a haunting collection of images featuring the artist’s wife, madelyn, wearing a dime-store mask, alongside family and friends adorned with translucent old man masks. “the subjects’ postures mimic ordinary family snapshots as they pose with arms slung around each other’s shoulders, stand stiffly on front porches, or stoop to a child’s height, but with their features obscured by the masks, they morph into inscrutable and unearthly figures.” each figure shares the name lucybelle crater, drawn from a flannery o'connor short story, creating a narrative filled with ambiguity. this book, accompanying the exhibition of the same name, transforms everyday moments into a surreal tableau.
born in normal, illinois, in 1925, ralph eugene meatyard pursued a artistic life. after studying at williams college and serving in the navy, he moved to lexington, kentucky, where he initially worked as an optician before starting his own practice, eyeglasses of kentucky. perhaps an obsession with the lens and a understanding of sight, he began taking photographs in 1954. his first solo show was at tulane in 1959 as well as a feature in the museum of modern art’s the sense of abstraction in contemporary photography the following year. today, his photographs are held in major collections, including the metropolitan museum of art and the pasadena art museum, affirming his influence on 20th-century photography.
new york: the jargon society. isbn: 0912330023. hardcover. book condition: bumping head and foot of spine. fine-. jacket condition: mild shelfwear. fine-. Item #403
Price: $200.00
