Ray K. Metzker: Landscapes

by Evan H. Turner, Ray K. Metzker (Photographer)

One of the most inventive American photographers of the postwar era, Ray K. Metzker has startled and delighted viewers with his images for the past forty years. Ray K. Landscapes collects the landscape images that Metzker has made throughout his career. The majority of the work in this volume dates from the last fifteen years, during which period Metzker has made many innovations and stretched the meaning and importance of the term "landscape" with images ranging in style from the traditional to the surreal.

Ray K. Landscapes incorporates twelve series of photographs, including "Feste di Foglie," made in Tuscany; the "Earthly Delights" series, made in the eastern United States; as well as work made in Turkey, southern France, and an extensive body of work from Moab, Utah, much of which is as yet unexhibited.

A substantial essay by Evan H. Turner investigates Metzker's life and work and relates his photography to an art-historical tradition spanning the work of Turner, Boucher, Monet, Klimt, and many others. The book also includes a definitive chronology.

Ray K. Metzker is the author of five books and the recipient of two Guggenheim Fellowships, two National Endowment for the Arts Fellowships, and a Bernheim Fellowship.

Genres: Photography

149 pages, Hardcover

First published September 15, 2000

Reviews

[Brian Rosser · Rating 4 out of 5]

American photographer Ray K. Metzker who is known mostly for his experimental B&W cityscapes and his large assemblages of strips of film throughout his 50 years of work turns his camera to landscapes. I picked this book up unaware of his work with landscapes. At first some images appear shot "at whim" almost but upon further viewing the abstract "form" of his photographic "reality" becomes apparent. Well worth viewing.

[Huw Thomas · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent book - with great accompanying text by Evan Turner. Many plates explaining Metzker's shift into landscape photography. The plates in the book are well printed but nothing like as dramatic as manually printed exhibition prints, so although understanding Metzker's direction only can only guess at how much better the exhibition prints would have been.