State of the Union by Mitch Epstein | Photo Book

Mitch Epstein (*1952 in Holyoke, Massachusetts) is considered one of America’s outstanding contemporary photographers. This publication explores his development through two distinct series of photographs. Recreation—American Photographs (1973–88) exemplifies traditional American street photography, capturing everyday situations from the 1970s and 80s. The random encounters reflect the openness of a pluralistic society that seems to have lost its spontaneity today. In contrast, the second series, American Power, which Epstein began in 2003, highlights the energy industry as a major power conglomerate in America. Cooling towers and refineries dominate the images, breaking all rules of proportion and degrading everything else around them to the status of insignificant marginalia.

Print Length: 120 Pages

Language: German, English

Publisher: Hatje Cantz

Published in 2010

ISBN: 978-3-7757-2784-6