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| In the Heart of the Dark Night. By George Shiras. Editions Xavier Barral, 2015.  |
"When I first came across L’intérieur de la nuit (In the Heart of the Dark Night), it wasn't the object itself — sure, the cover is beautiful, in a classical way — but the name that caught my eye... who is George Shiras? Well, let me tell you now that I know. Politician and lawyer by day, George Shiras (1859-1942) was a pioneering wildlife photographer by night. Sliding on the surface of the Great Lakes of North America in his canoe, he spent most of his nightly hours waiting for animals to reveal themselves in their natural habitat. Always eager to experiment, he also perfected ingenious tricks such as a trap system using a wire linked to a flashgun that, when hit by animals, would make them trigger their own photographs. These rather peculiar late 19th Century 'selfies' are absolutely stunning, and somewhat miraculous.
I’ve obviously always had a thing for photobooks: I make photobooks, and I collect them — not in a compulsive manner, though. Almost like an animal watching its prey, I always carefully study them until I feel they’re mine and should have a special place in my bookshelf. I especially like when books present a strong link between text and image. Here, a compelling essay by writer and philosopher Jean-Christophe Bailly sheds yet another light on these furtive appearances of dancing deer, birds, raccoons and other creatures. At a time when anything can be photographed and shared within seconds, Shiras’s shots, requiring patience and dedication, have an otherworldly feel. This poetic and powerful book confirms that in the darkest of nights, there can be sheer beauty."—Cécile Poimboeuf-Koizumi
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Cécile Poimboeuf-Koizumi is a Paris based publisher. Along with photographer Vasantha Yogananthan, she is the co-founder of Chose Commune, an independent publishing house that produces book-objects with bold design and editorial choices. Their first book, Piémanson (2014) is now sold out. Their second book, Shoji Ueda, was released in October 2015.
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| In the Heart of the Dark Night. By George Shiras. Editions Xavier Barral, 2015. |
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| In the Heart of the Dark Night. By George Shiras. Editions Xavier Barral, 2015. |
Cécile Poimboeuf-Koizumi is a Paris based publisher. Along with photographer Vasantha Yogananthan, she is the co-founder of Chose Commune, an independent publishing house that produces book-objects with bold design and editorial choices. Their first book, Piémanson (2014) is now sold out. Their second book, Shoji Ueda, was released in October 2015.
Read more Book of the Week picks