The Kyklades are a group of Greek islands scattered through the Aegean Sea and are the subject of Ali Bosworth’s modest softbound of the same name published by Guttlund Verlag. Taken in the summer of 2008,
Kyklades is a blend of surreal snapshots, including portraits, seascapes and an interesting mix of landscapes and everyday objects. I spent a portion of my summer in 2007 photographing my travels through the Greek islands and immediately recognized Bosworth’s subject, but while one could consider
Kyklades as a book of travel snapshots, it is something much more.
The photographs along with the editing give a sense of a dreamlike memory and are far removed from the tourist locations that have sprung up throughout the islands. And while there is a little of everything throughout the book, his recurring subject, a young red headed female (who I assume is Bosworth’s partner) brings the full spectrum of photographs together. The inclusion of a recurring singular individual allows the viewer to have a touchstone for this series of photographs. The photographs by themselves are beautiful and somewhat mysterious, but a good editing and the visible edges of a story pull this little gem together.
To assemble such a book I can only assume Bosworth takes an abundance of photographs. The mundane and simplistic beauty are scattered throughout, but to capture those feelings coherently is a challenge and Bosworth has done very well at this task. I am impressed with Guttlund Verlag’s 2010 publications all together, both because of the quality of the books published and because they are bringing photographers to my attention that I previously knew nothing about. After studying this book and adding it to my personal collection my interest was peaked to visit the
artist's website, which contains some of the most refreshing images I have seen in some time.
Purchase a copy of this book
here.
