Harry Callahan, known for his bold exploration of quotidian details and his innovative use of the abstract in photography, has created a career that spans many eras and lives. From his extended portrait of his wife, Eleanor, to his formal studies of architectural details and his observation of abstract-expressionist line in natural forms, Callahan’s remarkable work has been central to the development of American photography. The influence of his labors is easily recognized in the work of many disparate genres of visual art. His photographic legacy continues on, not only in the vibrancy of his own images, but in the unparalleled inspiration his teaching has brought to many.
This volume presents Callahan’s most vital and lasting images, in addition to a number of photographs that have never been published before. The accompanying essay by Jonathan Williams, poet, essayist, and the publisher of Jargon Society books, provides a unique textual complement to the subtlety of Callahan’s work and vision.