Signed Justine Kurland - Old Joy [Unavailable] - 2004

Exceptionally signed copy on the title page by Justine Kurland (born in 1969), original edition in a signed unique copy and unavailable elsewhere on the internet in a rare unsigned copy (expect about €400 for the only unsigned copy that can be found). 72 and 20 color photographs printed as double-page spreads, text in English by Jonathan Raymond. Sturdy publisher’s bound illustrated hardcover. In excellent general condition.

This book is the fruit of a playful collaboration between photographer Justine Kurland and writer Jonathan Raymond, following an original format created by Artspace Books (an artists’ and writers’ exchange forum). At the outset Justine Kurland was drawn to Jonathan Raymond’s lyrical depiction of American landscapes and his analysis of the utopian communities of the 1960s in his first novel The Half Life, which led her to participate in the development of this joint work. For his part, Jonathan Raymond wrote a story inspired by the most recent image corpora by Justine Kurland, showing burned forests, men and women naked, appearing as mere distant silhouettes within the landscape, in natural tableaux. (It should be noted that two other prestigious photographers participated in similar projects with writers on the same site and were published by the same publisher: Nan Goldin, Gregory Crewdson).

This book, published in 2004, also gave rise to a feature film directed by Kelly Reichardt in 2006, which premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in 2006 as well as at the International Film Festival Rotterdam.

Born in 1969, Justine Kurland is a Yale MFA photography program graduate, and her adolescent photographic stagings have earned international recognition in recent years. She is known for her utopian and neo-romantic photographs of American landscapes and of marginal, real and imagined communities that inhabit them. Justine Kurland takes her photos during cross-country trips that reveal the double-edged nature of the American dream. She presents a reality where utopia and nightmare are not diametrically opposed but rather merge in a troublesome coexistence.

Exemplary copy in excellent overall condition with a slight sunning on the back (see photo), book from my personal collection kept with the utmost care. Shipped protected with reinforced packaging and international tracked mail guaranteed. In case of multiple purchases, possible grouped shipment with reimbursement of any excess postage paid via PayPal.