BOOK: William Eggleston-The Outlands, David Zwirner Books

The godfather of color photography, William Eggleston, has inspired a generation of artists. He assumes a neutral gaze and creates his art from commonplace subjects. In his work, Eggleston photographs “democratically”–literally photographing the world around him. His large-format prints monumentalize everyday subjects, everything is equally important; every detail deserves attention. “The Outlands”, a series of photographs taken by William Eggleston between 1969 and 1974 reminding a story of hitchhikers trekking through the Deep South. The book establishes the groundbreaking visual themes and lexicon that the artist would continue to develop for decades to come. The work offers a journey through the mythic and evolving American South, seen through the artist’s lens: vibrant colors and a profound sense of nostalgia echo throughout Eggleston’s breathtaking oeuvre. His motifs of signage, cars, and roadside scenes create an iconography of American vistas that inspired a generation of photographers. With its in-depth selection of unforgettable images—a wood-paneled station wagon, doors flung open, parked in an expansive rural setting; the artist’s grandmother in the moody interior of their family’s Sumner, Mississippi home “The Outlands” is emblematic of Eggleston’s dynamic, experimental practice. The breadth of work re-energizes his iconic landscapes and forms a new perspective of the American South in transition. The book is forthcoming on November 2022.-Dimitris Lempesis