Since listing Allen Ruppersberg’s fantastic exhibition catalog in my list of Top 10 Photobooks of 2009, I’ve been doing more investigation on Ruppersberg. In the late 60’s and early 70’s he experimented with the way banal images, once combined, create narrative. Ruppersberg published three books juxtaposing pictures of motel rooms with other ordinary pictures sometimes containing narrative clues (ketchup drizzled on a table, a picture removed from a wall). These three books were called 23 Pieces (1968), 24 Pieces (1970) and 25 Pieces (1971).
I was able to track down a copy of 24 Pieces. See the whole thing here.
Note the colophon: “Design and Photography by Gary Krueger.”
Check this out, if you haven’t seen it yet: http://awp.diaart.org/ruppersberg/
Yes, this is one of the great underknown photo books. I had the opportunity to show my copy of this and 23 Pieces (which shows a broader selection of banal architectural spaces) to Gerry Badger a couple of years ago. I did not know there was a 25 Pieces – got to start looking in the bins at used book stores for that one. My copy of 23 Pieces is marked $1.00, and 24 Pieces $1.50 – such luck probably won’t prevail this time.
Jogn! :)))))))))))))
that is just the cat’s meow gorgeous….what a frick’ gorgeous gorgeous project/idea….wish i were back in ny…and see this in it’s full….the website exploration of ruppersberg project is just a brilliant delerium…
u know the films of michael snow??…
http://www.medienkunstnetz.de/works/wavelength/images/1/
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uYr_SvIKKuI
Alec, here is a snow film, just for you :)))
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cdvjlJx1E1w&feature=related
and this damn book u just showed kills….
may little brownmushroom live long and prosper! :)))
cheers
bob