Recognize

by Glen E. Friedman, Ian Folke Svenonius (Afterword), Peter Lamborn Wilson (Preface)

This incredible book is the first of all of Glen E. Friedman's books to not use anything from his past archives of infamous iconic images. It is based solely upon his most recent artistic studies and ambition. This new book, RECOGNIZE has far reaching implications on the world of modern art.

As quoted from the books preface and

"Glen E. Friedman's mission with RECOGNIZE is no less than 're-aligning the aesthetic' or demolishing and then re-making the rules by which we view and understand art... The re-introduction of sight into art-making and art-seeing, away from purely conceptual in-jokes and toward formal problems of light, composition and beauty. Just as Renaissance artists re-introduced the classical world's honesty and discipline to art-making, Friedman restores picture-taking to its primary and vital composition of the natural world, combined with a sense of wonder at the magnificence of what is all around us."

- Ian Folke Svenonius, 2005


"With access to a decent shelf of art books one could easily align Glen E. Friedman's work with a golden chain of initiatic transmission in Western art. This sublime aesthetic incorporates, say, Correggio at one end and Turner at the other; perhaps also in a sense the late Monet of the lily ponds...

These photos are more pleasurable than one might expect because they are secretly more painful. They hide an aesthetic shock behind what first appears to be more picturesque nebulosity. They sneak up on you, gradually becoming more and more sexual, more uncomfortable. It's customary nowadays to claim we "distrust beauty" because it has betrayed us. In fact the reverse is our culture betrays beauty and then blames it for its lack of depth. On this edge Glen's work is dancing - hence its vertiginousness, its touch of vertigo. Real beauty is always serious."

- Peter Lamborn Wilson, 2005

56 pages, Hardcover

First published September 28, 2005

About the author

Glen E. Friedman, (Born 1962) considered one of the most important photographers of his generation, became well known for working with such rebellious artists as Fugazi, Black Flag, Ice-T, Dead Kennedys, Minor Threat, Misfits, Bad Brains, Beastie Boys, Run-D.M.C, KRS-1, and Public Enemy, as well as old school skateboarders like: Tony Alva, Jay Adams, Alan "Ollie" Gelfand, Duane Peters, and Stacy Peralta, among others. Many of his photographs are recognized as the subjects' definitive portraits. His graphic documents of the movement in culture reveal the science of defiance upon which all are based. Friedman's photos reflect the spirit of progression and angst that defined an era. Not only was he in the right places at an extraordinary number of appropriate times, Friedman has helped define the moment and movements he was caught up in. His process was much more incendiary than it was documentary. According to Henry Rollins "The bottom line is that he was there at the beginning of so much cool stuff in so many different areas it's not funny."

"Inspiring people, with integrity and rebelliousness."

For the past quarter century, Friedman has been doing just that.

- Los Angeles Times

"One of the greats of his generation."

- Washington Post

"The most prolific photographer of his generation."

- American Institute of Graphic Arts

"The esoteric political and aesthetic conscience of his generation..."

- Juxtapoz magazine

Glen E. Friedman's captivating images demonstrate his remarkable eye for raw reality, talent and aesthetic beauty. He is, without doubt, one of this generation's most discerning and important photographers, Friedman has documented like no one else.