Mitch Epstein: Silver + Chrome - by Ryan Spencer (Hardcover)

Book Synopsis

An exuberant chromatic dialogue depicting 1970s America in crisis and liberation

Between 1973 and '76, Mitch Epstein (born 1952) photographed in American cities--New York, Los Angeles and New Orleans, among others. He was initially shooting in black and white as a student of Garry Winogrand, when he asked his teacher, "Why not color?" With Winogrand's blessing, Epstein shot his first rolls of Kodachrome. Silver + Chrome is a chronicle of his three years alternating between color and black and white, before eventually committing to color.
This book contains Epstein's earliest work, virtually none of which has been seen before. In these kinetic tableaux, the artist's exuberance is tamed, just barely, by his formal intelligence. He depicts American city life as it undergoes taboo-shattering sexual liberation, economic crises and the repercussions of a boondoggle war in Vietnam, immersing us in the urban chaos of this complicated time.

Review Quotes

It's immersive, physical and celebrates the drama of the situations he put himself in.--Emma Russell "i-D"

Epstein's eye homes in on marvelous theatricality: a giddy ensemble you couldn't orchestrate, but an anti-choreography you can marvel at, if you're quick enough to catch it.--Sarah Moroz "Bookforum"

Although primarily concerned with form, Epstein subtly evokes narratives beyond each carefully constructed picture frame...Silver + Chrome amplifies the hubbub and dynamism of the city.--Lydia Figes "AnOther"