Create and Be Recognized: Photography on the Edge

by John Turner, Deborah Klochko

Create and Be Recognized is the first survey of a compelling, always surprising art form -- outsider photography. Presented here is the work of seventeen largely self-taught artists who have used photography or photographic elements in their creations, including such luminaries as Adolf Wolfli, Howard Finster, and Henry Darger, as well as discoveries from little known, equally dramatic artists. As with most outsider art, the work here is fuelled by singular passions, marginalized mindsets, and extreme circumstances, falling outside mainstream picture-making. Employing collage (affixing photos or reproductions to a background), photocollage (photographs cut and pasted together to form a new whole), and tableaux (works based on manipulation and staging), the artists here present work that is, by turns, lyrical and frightening, and always fascinating. Published to coincide with a major touring exhibition of the same name originating at San Francisco's Yerba Buena Center for the Arts, Create and Be Recognized documents an emerging and important facet of contemporary photography.

Genres: Photography, Art

156 pages, Hardcover

First published September 9, 2004

About the author

Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.

Reviews

[Joe · Rating 4 out of 5]

Conceptually flawed - this is not a photography book. I didn't care for 2 of the 3 essays, and the design features are too present for my liking. Prefer to see more depth with the bios as well. Still gave it a 4 because the art kicks ass.

[Tracy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book features compelling stories and luscious art, but what I appreciated most were the three brief essays that introduced the work. The first essay was a tad chewy with that academic profundity that sticks to the roof of my mouth, but it did send me on a dream about the making of photographs: how the camera is a machine, but definitely can be considered to be imbued with magical properties (it mimics an eye, which is the window to the soul, so what does that make the camera?).

The second essay is cleaner and more pragmatic about what is outsider photography (but still residing in some kind of tower), and uses colorful details and examples to prove its point. The third essay is written by someone who actually has had personal experience with outsider artists, so it just cuts to the bone and really provides the best send off to view the art that follows. The group of essays together is worth reading to enhance the visual experience to follow.

The book features Henry Darger and Adolf Wolfli (both of whom are very well known to anyone acquainted with the "outsider art" concept). But, it also includes C.T. McClusky (if you like Darger, you'll be interested in his work), Lee Godie (a female who proclaims she's better than Cezanne), Richard Shaver (a sci-fi writer who started to believe it all--kinda like R.L.H.--don't sue me, Tom Cruise!), and many others.

After reading and viewing the book, I didn't come away with a concrete idea of what outsider photography is, but I was better informed and ready with a more shaped opinion.

[Amber · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fascinating look at outsider artists who have worked with photography as their primary or secondary source material -- sometimes creating original photographs, other times utilizing found photographic images. Each artist's impulse to create is as varied as the finished works themselves, which provide stunning visual representations of private worlds, obsessive tendencies, and universal hopes/fears.

[Chris · Rating 5 out of 5]

This gorgeous book of outsider art with a photographic theme surveys the work of such self-taught luminaries as Adolf Wolfi, Henry Darger, Howard Finster, Steve Ashby and others. Excellent essays about and quotes from the artists.

[Chris · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love love love this book!