Photographs [ with original photo]

Info

Downbrough’s work, be it sculpture, text-related pieces, film or photography, is related to architecture and the ways in which we see the built environment. This selection of photographs takes industrial sites, both ultra-modern and in state of advanced disintegration, and infuses them with a sense of purpose and design. Downsbrough’s use of the camera is elemental: making the viewer see what is hidden behind the ordinary. Includes a text by René Denizot [translated by Kaatje Cusse] on photography as writing. Ref.1

Apart from one illustration – an empty rectangle between the title page and the colophon – this publication only contains photographs taken by Peter Downsbrough during the period from 1977 to 1990. The 119 photographs are placed, with a few exceptions, one per page. The text by the French art critic René Denizot (>nos. 33, 48) describes in a clear way ‘the act of seeing’ as such, as well as through the photographer’s viewfinder, without ever mentioning the name of the artist at all. The photographs show Downsbrough’s preference for unspecified urban zones, wastelands, industrial areas, monuments, bridges, railroad stations, passages, roads, quays, dead-end streets, and alleys, stairs, and construction details. These images, full of contrast and symmetry so typical of his work, were taken in New York City, Los Angeles, Paris, Dijon, Warsaw, Brussels, Tódz, Bologna, Ghent, Düsseldorf, Berkeley, Nieuwpoort, Berlin, Munich, Amsterdam…. The book ends with a partial contact sheet of photographs taken in Amsterdam – his first use of a contact sheet in a book, here as a sort of appendix. (>nos. 46, 51, 68, 73). Ref.2

Imschoot Uitgevers In 1987 publishing house Imschoot (Ghent- Belgium) started an exceptional series of artists’ books made by international artists (Giovanni Anselmo, Sol LeWitt, John Baldessari, Lawrence Weiner, Hanne Darboven, Robert Barry, Christian Boltanski, Dan Graham, a.o.). Ref.3
In addition to the regular softcover edition (500 to 1000 copies), a deluxe hardcover edition was also issued in a very limited edition, numbered and signed by the artists.
The publishing house ceased its activities in 2006.

References

• Ref.1: Imschoot, uitgevers Catalogue 1993-1994, Other publications, published on demand, and/or co-produced with galleries, museums, foundations or other institutions.
• Ref.2: Catalogus: Peter Downsbrough – The book(s) 1968-2010; de Singel, international arts campus, Antwerp March 3 – May 22, 2011 el Canodrom, centre d’art contemporani, Barcelona 2012; Hatje Cantz Verlag 73760 Ostfildern. nr. 33
• Ref.3: Johan Pas (Een essay door -), Het kunstenaarsboek in België: de voorzet tot een geschiedenis, Kunstenpunt