From a survey of Coco Capitán’s work to a captivating portrait of New York’s youth by Marie Tomanova, a guide to the most exciting publications available this April
Busy Living by Coco Capitán, published by Loose Joints
As Coco Capitán’s solo exhibition, Busy living with everyone, everywhere, all of the time, continues in Paris, Loose Joints is publishing a monograph to accompany the show. Capitán’s fashion and commercial photography (the Spanish image-maker has worked with brands like Gucci) features in Busy Living, as well as images from her personal archive. “I am 27 right now and I moved to London when I was a teen. I have always been doing my writing and my photography, but I don’t have any works that are older than that in this show,” Capitán said in a recent interview with AnOther. “I didn’t want the exhibition to be a retrospective of my time working until now – it would be a bit arrogant considering my age. I think it’s more interesting to think about the present moment.”
Inside the Bum by Frank and Tyrone Lebon, published by DoBeDo Projects
Brothers and brilliant photographers in their own right, Frank and Tyrone Lebon have partnered together on a limited edition photo book documenting the making of Harmony Korine’s new film The Beach Bum. Shot over the space of six weeks in 2017, Inside the Bum includes photographs and film stills featuring Matthew McConaughey, Jonah Hill, Isla Fisher, Snoop Dogg, and Zac Efron, as well as “written diary entries, call sheets, and vintage Florida tourist paraphernalia”. A beautiful and highly original publication, this book offers an unprecedented insight into the creative process of one of modern cinema’s most distinctive voices.
Analogies by Stuart Franklin, published by Hatje Cantz
Analogies is a new publication from British photographer Stuart Franklin, whose work focuses primarily on nature and geography. The lyrical landscapes compiled in this latest book all seek to reveal human influences and elements, as Franklin explores the metaphorical potentials of the natural world. The beautiful black and white images were captured all over the world, and offer an alternative look at the relationship between humans and our environment.
Rest by Charlotte Gainsbourg, published by Classic Books / Because
Taking the same name as her fifth album, Rest by Charlotte Gainsbourg is a book that seeks to extend the story behind the record. The book is a deeply personal telling of how the album came about, from influences to lyrics, illustrated with photography – self portraits, shots of New York, where she lives, and of her three children – and drawings by Gainsbourg. (Watch out for Gainsbourg performing the acclaimed album at Coachella this year too.)
Young American by Marie Tomanova, published by Paradigm
Czech photographer Marie Tomanova’s captivating portraits of New York’s youth have caught the attention of Ryan McGinley, who has written an introduction for Tomanova’s debut book of her celebrated series Young American. Tomanova captured her peers in their homes or out in the underground clubs of her adopted city, and the resulting portraits form an intimate and inclusive vision of New York’s contemporary youth culture.
Do Not Feed Alligators by David Shama, published by Damiani
David Shama’s Do Not Feed Alligators is a photographic exploration of America’s southern states, seen through the eyes of a relative outsider (Shama is from Switzerland and based in New York). The photographer captures the simultaneous excitement and mundanity of everyday life via shots of his peers and featuring typically American tropes: motels, diners, swamps, amusement parks and empty snaking roads appear in his warm images. Released at the tail end of 2018, the Damiani-published tome was recently brought back to New York for the AIPAD Photography Show.
Laurent Benaïm, published by Taschen
“I attended a school of photography in 1982 and became instantly and instinctively interested in the representation of sexuality,” French photographer Laurent Benaïm recently told AnOther. “Over time, I became aware of the fundamental importance of everything that entwines eroticism with sex and feelings of love by embarking on a genuine undertaking to bear witness to the diversity of sexuality.” Benaïm’s singular practice has explored individuals’ sexuality and interest in sexual taboos for almost three decades, and Taschen has now published a comprehensive study of his work.