Paul Graham
Photographs 1981–2006
Published on the occasion of the exhibition Paul Graham: Photographs 1981–2006 at MoMA, New York; Whitechapel Gallery, London; Museum Folkwang, Essen; and Deichtorhallen, Hamburg.
‘It is disorienting to look at photographs you took from the distance of decades. Events seem as though from a foreign land, yet immediately familiar — unexpected associations that are not part of conscious memory are recalled — colours, sounds — ambient ghosts summoned from memory. It is one of photography’s miracles that a tissue of paper can bring forth what you had buried.’
— Paul Graham, The waiting game: Paul Graham on ‘Beyond Caring’, MACK Blog
Published by Steidl and MACK
The design of Paul Graham’s mid-career is deceptive in its simplicity. It contains a vast mix of photographic formats, as well as complex front and endmatter. The book starts with a 20,000 word essay with comparatives, captioning, footnotes and quotations, and ends with book spreads from every publication printed until that date.
It’s the brave use of space between chapters that carries these narratives and gives them space to breath.
The iconic cover, is a baby blue satin with metallic pink type. The font chosen references Paul’s seminal work the A1—The Great North Road as well as Paul’s own journey migrating to the US. The font is the same used on US interstate signage.