2.18.2015

Guest Reading Shortlist 2.18.15: Adam Bell

From "Parallel Universe: Tokyo Through Western Eyes" by Russet Lederman © William Klein

The Reading Shortlist is an occasional post with an eclectic listing of recommended sites, readings and links. A recommendation does not necessarily suggest an agreement with the contents of the post. For previous shortlists, please visit the site links page.

Today's guest for Reading Shortlist is Adam Bell.

Adam Bell is a photographer and writer. His work has been widely exhibited, and his writing and reviews have appeared in numerous publications including Afterimage, The Art Book Review, The Brooklyn Rail, fototazo, Foam Magazine, Lay Flat, photo-eye and Paper-Journal. His books include The Education of a Photographer and the forthcoming Vision Anew: The Lens and Screen Arts. He is currently on the staff and faculty at the MFA Photography, Video and Related Media Department at the School of Visual Arts.

Nataly Castaño helped organize this post.
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Tom McCarthy, London Review of Books, "Writing Machines"
The novelist and writer Tom McCarthy grapples with the thorny issue of realism.

From "Parallel Universe: Tokyo Through Western Eyes" by Russet Lederman

Russet Lederman, "Parallel Universe: Tokyo Through Western Eyes"
Noted collector, writer and scholar Russet Lederman, who's also one of the masterminds behind both 10x10 American Photobooks and 10x10 Japanese Photobooks, looks at a number of well-known, and some not so well known, Western photobooks that look at Tokyo and Japan.

Rebecca Solnit, tomdispatch.com, "Everything's Coming Together While Everything is Falling Apart"
Published in early January, Solnit offers sober, but hopeful words as we move into a new year.

Entre Entree by Stephan Keppel

Stanley Wolukau-Wanambwa, The Great Leap Sideways, "An Illogical Pattern of Translations: Stephan Keppel’s Entre Entree"
Entre Entree by Stephan Keppel was one of my favorite books from 2014, and Stanley Wolukau-Wanambwa's lyrical response captures the fractured beauty of the book.

From Interview Magazine, "Peter Schjeldahl" © Maciek Kobielski

Christopher Bollen, Interview Magazine, "Peter Schjeldahl"
This honest and insightful interview with Peter Schjeldahl reflects on his work as a critic and writer.

Quentin Bajac, "The Age of Distraction: Photography and Film"
Just one of many great essays posted on Object:Photo, MoMA's companion site to the current exhibition "Modern Photographs from the Thomas Walther Collection, 1909-1949," Bajac’s essay does a excellent job elucidating the tumultuous context in which these revolutionary images were made.

Trevor Paglen and Rebeccas Solnit (Part 1 and Part 2)
Hosted at the Lannan Foundation in Santa Fe in March 2014, this artist talk by Paglen is followed by an interview with Rebecca Solnit. What more can you ask for?

Brian Dillon, "Shadow Waltz"
Although I initially felt it was out of place as part of Fraser's recent book A City of the Mind, Dillion's excellent essay does a wonderful job illuminating the peculiar beauty of Fraser’s work.