William Eggleston: The Democratic Forest

I'm such a tremendous Eggleston fan that I'm grateful for any and all monographs. The 10-volume set just arrived this week, so some initial impressions (hopefully Robin Benson will weigh in with his always invaluable reviews)--the printing is gorgeous, the pages thick and substantial. This is Steidl, so the production values are top-notch.While some of the images are familiar--those published in the first iteration of "The Democratic Forest"---this provides a far larger and richer glimpse into the body of work Eggleston produced in the late'70/'80s. Not the least of which is the evolution of his pictorial style into one that--as Mark Holborn notes in his intro--neatly straddles the line b/t concrete and abstract.What this shift in form means for Eggleston's treatment of his subject matter and his emotional relationship to those subjects is something I'm trying to figure out. To me, while Eggleston's presentation of the banal offers an apparent cool detachment from what he's shooting (he was unimpressed by the cultural changes enveloping the South and everywhere else), his response is actually visceral. That's the neat trick he pulls off, and the tension b/t the photos' concrete and abstract imagery reinforces the emotional dissonance.In raising the issue Holborn opens the door to a line of analysis I hadn't seen before; one that ought to rejuvenate--broaden--the critical understanding of Eggleston.More later.Addendum:One additional thought and this was my reaction to Chromes and Los Alamos: The number of images can be overwhelming; it in some ways dilutes the power of the best photos, lacking the punch of the tightly edited Guide or the original Los Alamos.Though each of the ten volumes is organized around a theme (Louisiana Project, Berlin, Surfaces)--making it a terrific if academic exploration of Eggleston's evolution of treatment and subject and form--diving into the set teeters toward a didactic rather than aesthetic experience.Which is not to denigrate the editors' incredible efforts and success in producing a thorough exploration of Eggleston's late 70's and 80's photos. Clearly a project of love. And welcome glimpse into a huge body of work. I'm sticking by my 5 stars.

Worked for National Geographic years ago and Eggleston has always reminded me why I became a diplomat rather than a career photographer. One of the great modern artists in any medium and exceptionally well served by his printer!. Yes, the slip cover could have been somewhat more solid, but stash it away, if you are one of those folks who dream of keeping this mint rather than enjoying it. Meanwhile, browse the ten volumes which go far, far beyond the other collections of Eggleston, all of which I own.Just back from working with Special Forces in muggy, roadless Central Louisiana, and I find that Eggleston captures the mid-century South and its impoverished artistic soul as well as any artist alive.A must buy!

Ambitious publication: 10 volumes with printed covers and beautiful reproductions. Weighing over 30 pounds, the carton arrived with "Heavy" stickers attached, my first delivery was damaged; the slipcase is a bit flimsy resulting in heavy damage to one of the volumes. "The Democratic Forest" is a highly recommended publication brilliantly sequenced and thoughtfully combined in thematically titled volumes.

10 volumes of groundbreaking photographs in the twentieth century. Highly recommended

Smells as great as it looks.

The best living artist.

This arrived taped together over the book volumes and the slip case completely broken.I will be returning this.

It took me about five months to find my way out of The Democratic Forest, but being lost in it was wonderful. To my mind, this is Eggleston's masterpiece, a catalog of his best years behind the camera -- and one of the crowning achievements in the history of photography. The artistic unity and the grace and the humor in these images -- taken all around the world, but always calling back to The South -- is an epic wonder to behold. And we are lucky to finally have a publication that lives up to the work. These books are among the most beautiful I've seen and the colors are so rich the photographs seem to come alive when the light hits them. A landmark, in every sense of the word.

著者オリジナルの独特のクオリティを持った、非常にまとまった世界観が心地良いです。被写体の選択、アングル、色、光。プリントのクオリティから製本のクオリティまで。あらゆる要素が一つの世界観に集約され、強力な体験を生んでいます。これは写真集というより、アート体験と言っていいでしょう。写真集というモノを買い、モノを所有した、というよりも、体験を買い、体験を満喫したという気分のほうが近いです。実に豊かな気持ちになれるアート作品です。

一日一冊のペースで10日間かけて読みました。まず1周目。そのあとなんだか気になったナンバーの本をちょいちょい読んでいます。主となる被写体があるようで無い、無いようである。森を見ずに木を見るのか、木を見ずに森を見るのか。見るたびに見方が変わる写真。それがこんなに多く手元にあるという喜び。ジワジワと感じます。

イギリスから届いた本品（ほぼ新品の中古を買いました）は重たくてミカン箱さながらの大きな段ボール箱で、写真の外箱（ふた無し外ケース）と同じ文字が印刷されています。そのふた無し外ケースの中におさめられた写真集が10冊。1冊をとり出して、1ページずつめくるたびに「ふぅ～」とため息をついたり、「ヒーー」と喜びの歓声と驚きの喚声をあげて1回、見終えました。そのまま続けて10冊見通すつもりで、2冊目を数ページめくったところで、興奮が頂点に達して、「明日にしよう」と先を見るのをもったいつけてしまいました。ポートレイトも風景写真も、モノクロもカラーでも年に100箇所前後の写真展に行きますし、海外の写真家の方が多いですが写真集は100冊くらいは買って在ると思います。しかし、2冊目にして、もったいつける思いをさせられた写真集は過去にあったかどうか。もちろんエグルストンの写真集は「クローム」以外、とっくに持って鑑賞済みです。それなのに、です。高価だったから？　いやいや、10冊で5万6000円なら割安なくらいでしょう。とにかく参りました。嗚呼、早く帰って（金曜日、就業中）次が観たくてしかたなくなってきました。

I find the printing quality to be a little too matt and not saturated enough, it seems a little cheap

very happy with my purchase