Richard Avedon: In the American West 40th Anniversary Edition

In the American West is a commemorative reissue marking the 40th anniversary of Richard Avedon’s legendary project on the ordinary people of the American West. Between 1979 and 1984, Avedon travelled throughout the region for five years to photograph miners, labourers, cowboys, travelling salesmen and other inhabitants, always against a white background that focuses all attention on their faces, gestures and vulnerability. The new edition brings together 103 black-and-white photographs, an essay by Avedon himself on his method and his vision of portraiture, and a diary of the project by Laura Wilson. It is a landmark publication in the world of photography.