Favorite Books of 2011: Redheaded Peckerwood by Christian Patterson (MACK, www.mackbooks.co.uk) - This was a project I’ve been waiting on for a few years now. Patterson’s last book Sound Affects is one of my all time favorites and the early teases of Redheaded Peckerwood on his site got me very excited. I was finally able to see one of the handmade versions of the book that Christian made during the AIPAD fair last March and was blown away. The MACK version is almost identical and is surely going to be a classic. :: People In Trouble Laughing Pushed To The Ground by Adam Broomberg & Oliver Chanarin (MACK, www.mackbooks.co.uk) - This one was a surprise for me, I hadn’t seen Broomberg and Chanarin’s earlier collaborative works before, but what a great surprise it was. The artists scoured The Belfast Exposed Archive and used the images to create a wonderful and weird book. MACK killed it this year. :: A by Gregory Halpern (J&L, www.jandlbooks.org) - Another long awaited book, A tells a story of America’s rust belt. Although the project sounds like something that has been done a million times before, Halpern is able to create something new with a very sympathetic eye. The beautiful portraits which are reminiscent of Robert Bergman make the book for me. In a year when work like this had become very stale for me, Halpern put out a book which reminds me of what initially attracted me to photography. :: Hunt by Bart Julius Peters (jrp ringier, www.jrp-ringier.com) - I didn’t hear much about Bart Julius Peters since I first saw his work in an issue of FOAM (www.foammagazine.nl) about 3 years ago. Was quite happy to hear about this book coming out earlier this fall. Love the printing, paper, and look of this book, it perfectly attaches itself to Peters’ images. A new favorite.  :: A head with wings by Anouk Kruithof (Little Brown Mushroom, www.littlebrownmushroom.com) - The third in the “little brown” series published by Alec Soth’s Little Brown Mushroom, I didn’t know what I was in for when I picked up a copy of A head with wings at this years NY Art Book Fair. The design, a collaboration between Kruithof and Hans Seeger, is incredible, fold out after fold out after fold out but there is nothing cheesy or gimmicky about it. Kruithof’s stream of conscience writing pairs perfectly with her photo montages and it introduced me to a very exciting artist. :: Animals That Saw Me by Ed Panar (The Ice Plant, www.theiceplant.cc) - A funny take on how exotic we must seem to animals, Panar’s book brings together a collection of images taken over 16 years of exploring. Panar’s dead pan style of photographing works perfectly with the subject, often the animals are staring straight into the camera. One of my favorite things about the book is the cover which has the feel of a hide of animal. Another great release from one of my favorite publishers. :: Visible Library by Sam Falls (Lay Flat, www.layflat.org) - The first book released by Lay Flat, “a personal meditation on art, history, preservation and the photographic medium”, Visible Library again shows the genius of Sam Falls, an artist who’s seemingly endless output of work never ceases to amaze me. :: Some New York Handball Courts by Charles Johnstone (self published, www.charlesjohnstonephotography.com) - The second in my good friend Charlie’s trilogy of books based off of Ruscha’s artists books is a beautiful object. Like the first book Thirty Four Basketball Courts he aims his lens at playgrounds in New York capturing the courts without the normal noise and void of any people instead concentrating on the space and shapes of the different environments. Another important New York historical document from a great photographer and friend. :: Feb. 17, 2009 by Henry Roy (Kaugummi, www.kaugummi.fr) - A small zine from one of my favorite photographers. In Feb. 17, 2009 Roy creates an “an imaginary day inspired by his environment, in a dreamy and cinematic perception of reality.” :: Dessau by Bill Sullivan (Kaugummi, www.kaugummi.fr) - Another small zine released by Kaugummi this year. I love Sullivan’s use of re-photography in Dessau, a tribute to the Bauhaus movement. It’s really a shame that Kaugummi’s founder Bartolome Kaugummi decided to put an end to releasing new material this year. :: Foto.zine NR. 4 by Erik van der Weijde and various contributors (4478, www.4478zine.com) - With collaborations with Takashi Homma and Erik Kessels as well as others van der Weijde created an excellent little series of zines. I’ve gone back to these quite often since I got them. 

Dec 13 -

Favorite Books of 2011:

Redheaded Peckerwood by Christian Patterson (MACK, www.mackbooks.co.uk)

- This was a project I’ve been waiting on for a few years now. Patterson’s last book Sound Affects is one of my all time favorites and the early teases of Redheaded Peckerwood on his site got me very excited. I was finally able to see one of the handmade versions of the book that Christian made during the AIPAD fair last March and was blown away. The MACK version is almost identical and is surely going to be a classic.

::

People In Trouble Laughing Pushed To The Ground by Adam Broomberg & Oliver Chanarin (MACK, www.mackbooks.co.uk)

- This one was a surprise for me, I hadn’t seen Broomberg and Chanarin’s earlier collaborative works before, but what a great surprise it was. The artists scoured The Belfast Exposed Archive and used the images to create a wonderful and weird book. MACK killed it this year.

::

A by Gregory Halpern (J&L, www.jandlbooks.org)

- Another long awaited book, A tells a story of America’s rust belt. Although the project sounds like something that has been done a million times before, Halpern is able to create something new with a very sympathetic eye. The beautiful portraits which are reminiscent of Robert Bergman make the book for me. In a year when work like this had become very stale for me, Halpern put out a book which reminds me of what initially attracted me to photography.

::

Hunt by Bart Julius Peters (jrp ringier, www.jrp-ringier.com)

- I didn’t hear much about Bart Julius Peters since I first saw his work in an issue of FOAM (www.foammagazine.nl) about 3 years ago. Was quite happy to hear about this book coming out earlier this fall. Love the printing, paper, and look of this book, it perfectly attaches itself to Peters’ images. A new favorite. 

::

A head with wings by Anouk Kruithof (Little Brown Mushroom, www.littlebrownmushroom.com)

- The third in the “little brown” series published by Alec Soth’s Little Brown Mushroom, I didn’t know what I was in for when I picked up a copy of A head with wings at this years NY Art Book Fair. The design, a collaboration between Kruithof and Hans Seeger, is incredible, fold out after fold out after fold out but there is nothing cheesy or gimmicky about it. Kruithof’s stream of conscience writing pairs perfectly with her photo montages and it introduced me to a very exciting artist.

::

Animals That Saw Me by Ed Panar (The Ice Plant, www.theiceplant.cc)

- A funny take on how exotic we must seem to animals, Panar’s book brings together a collection of images taken over 16 years of exploring. Panar’s dead pan style of photographing works perfectly with the subject, often the animals are staring straight into the camera. One of my favorite things about the book is the cover which has the feel of a hide of animal. Another great release from one of my favorite publishers.

::

Visible Library by Sam Falls (Lay Flat, www.layflat.org)

- The first book released by Lay Flat, “a personal meditation on art, history, preservation and the photographic medium”, Visible Library again shows the genius of Sam Falls, an artist who’s seemingly endless output of work never ceases to amaze me.

::

Some New York Handball Courts by Charles Johnstone (self published, www.charlesjohnstonephotography.com)

- The second in my good friend Charlie’s trilogy of books based off of Ruscha’s artists books is a beautiful object. Like the first book Thirty Four Basketball Courts he aims his lens at playgrounds in New York capturing the courts without the normal noise and void of any people instead concentrating on the space and shapes of the different environments. Another important New York historical document from a great photographer and friend.

::

Feb. 17, 2009 by Henry Roy (Kaugummi, www.kaugummi.fr)

- A small zine from one of my favorite photographers. In Feb. 17, 2009 Roy creates an “an imaginary day inspired by his environment, in a dreamy and cinematic perception of reality.”

::

Dessau by Bill Sullivan (Kaugummi, www.kaugummi.fr)

- Another small zine released by Kaugummi this year. I love Sullivan’s use of re-photography in Dessau, a tribute to the Bauhaus movement. It’s really a shame that Kaugummi’s founder Bartolome Kaugummi decided to put an end to releasing new material this year.

::

Foto.zine NR. 4 by Erik van der Weijde and various contributors (4478, www.4478zine.com)

- With collaborations with Takashi Homma and Erik Kessels as well as others van der Weijde created an excellent little series of zines. I’ve gone back to these quite often since I got them. 

Meta:

Studio of 70South Books a small independent publishing company based in Nyack, New York focusing on photography and literature. 70South was founded by photographer Corey Presha in 2011. The blog will focus on upcoming releases and news on artists and friends as well as other book projects we find interesting.