{"product_id":"136c-1","title":"Parker, Bart. A Close Brush with Reality by Bart Parker.","description":"\u003cp\u003eVisual Studies Workshop, 1981. [Bart Parker (1934-2013) r\u003cspan class=\"detailField toggleField biographyField toggleFieldOpen\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"toggleContent\" style=\"display: inline;\" itemprop=\"description\"\u003eeceived his MFA from the Rhode Island School of Design, studying under Harry Callahan, and is known for his photographic collages.  He was a visiting artist at the University of Chicago and UCLA. His work is in the collections of more than two dozen museums.] \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e Wraps, 56 pages, like new.  Summary:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-path-to-node=\"0\"\u003e\u003cb data-path-to-node=\"0\" data-index-in-node=\"0\"\u003e\u003ci data-path-to-node=\"0\" data-index-in-node=\"0\"\u003eA Close Brush with Reality: Photographs and Writings, 1972–2011\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e (published by the University of Texas Press in 2012) is a comprehensive retrospective monograph dedicated to the work of pioneering American conceptual photographer and educator Bart Parker. The 184-page volume brings together a definitive selection of Parker's complex, multi-layered visual imagery alongside his own analytical essays, poems, and professional commentary, tracing his career over four decades.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 data-path-to-node=\"2\"\u003eCore Content \u0026amp; Conceptual Framework\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003ch3 data-path-to-node=\"3\"\u003e1. Breaking the Photographic Window\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp data-path-to-node=\"4\"\u003eThe monograph documents Parker’s radical departure from traditional, straight documentary photography. The visual retrospective charts how he systematically challenged the medium’s historical claim to objective reality by introducing intentional ambiguity into his frames. By combining disparate negatives, embedding text within images, and overlaying multiple exposures, the portfolio explores how meaning is actively constructed by the viewer rather than simply recorded by the camera shutter.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 data-path-to-node=\"5\"\u003e2. Multi-Layered Visual Portfolios\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp data-path-to-node=\"6\"\u003eThe core of the book organizes Parker's diverse visual projects into sequential thematic chapters. The plates showcase his mastery of both black-and-white and color darkroom processes, highlighting his distinct structural strategies:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul data-path-to-node=\"7\"\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp data-path-to-node=\"7,0,0\"\u003e\u003cb data-path-to-node=\"7,0,0\" data-index-in-node=\"0\"\u003eThe Photographic Metaphor:\u003c\/b\u003e Splicing domestic, everyday scenes with unexpected textures or landscapes to build complex, open-ended visual puzzles.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp data-path-to-node=\"7,1,0\"\u003e\u003cb data-path-to-node=\"7,1,0\" data-index-in-node=\"0\"\u003eSequential Narratives:\u003c\/b\u003e Utilizing grids, diptychs, and triptychs to imply a sense of passing time or fragmented memory that resists linear storytelling.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp data-path-to-node=\"7,2,0\"\u003e\u003cb data-path-to-node=\"7,2,0\" data-index-in-node=\"0\"\u003eText and Image Interplay:\u003c\/b\u003e Overlaying prose, cryptic captions, and poetry directly onto his silver gelatin and inkjet prints, forcing a conceptual dialogue between reading and viewing.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch3 data-path-to-node=\"8\"\u003e3. Writings and Pedagogical Philosophy\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp data-path-to-node=\"9\"\u003eBeyond the images, a substantial portion of the volume is dedicated to Parker's written thoughts and professional reflections. As a long-time professor at the University of Rhode Island, his essays outline a deeply philosophical approach to teaching and understanding photography. The written texts delve into the mechanics of visual perception, autobiographical milestones, and the ongoing cultural transition from traditional chemical printing to early digital manipulation.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cblockquote data-path-to-node=\"11\"\u003e\n\u003cp data-path-to-node=\"11,1\"\u003e\u003ci data-path-to-node=\"11,1\" data-index-in-node=\"0\"\u003eA Close Brush with Reality\u003c\/i\u003e serves as a crucial mid-century archive for an artist who expanded the boundaries of post-modern photographic practice. By pairing Parker’s intricate visual catalog with his intellectual writings, the publication provides an invaluable primary resource for curators and students studying the intersection of conceptual art, literature, and American photography.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/blockquote\u003e","brand":"Gary Saretzky Photo Books","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":67005813260659,"sku":null,"price":22.5,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1013\/5679\/8323\/files\/IMG_1733.jpg?v=1790616359","url":"https:\/\/sagesshop.com\/products\/136c-1","provider":"Sages Living","version":"1.0","type":"link"}