Complements is a gem, an intimate book to be savoured on first readings and held near as a resource on what is meaningful. It contains 110 luscious photos of small objects juxtaposed in ways that evoke emotions, thoughts, questions, and remembrance of beauty. The photographs tell stories, make wry jokes, and allude to the larger realities of the esoteric. As complements, the objects are more than the sum of their parts.
A sentence or two of text accompanies each photograph, creating storylines that draw the viewer into the world of the objects as strongly as if the objects were human, except their not being human allows the viewer a purer sense of the message of their story. David Hume Kennerly, the Pulitzer Prize-winning photographer, says in the foreword, “The narrative and pictures reunite twins separated at birth.” The photographs pull the viewer in with their emotional content, then ask the viewer to step back for another look ― to both feel and think, to understand truths beyond words.
Complements is a gem, an intimate book to be savoured on first readings and held near as a resource on what is meaningful. It contains 110 luscious photos of small objects juxtaposed in ways that evoke emotions, thoughts, questions, and remembrance of beauty. The photographs tell stories, make wry jokes, and allude to the larger realities of the esoteric. As complements, the objects are more than the sum of their parts. A sentence or two of text accompanies each photograph, creating storylines that draw the viewer into the world of the objects as strongly as if the objects were human, except their not being human allows the viewer a purer sense of the message of their story. David Hume Kennerly, the Pulitzer Prize-winning photographer, says in the foreword, “The narrative and pictures reunite twins separated at birth.” The photographs pull the viewer in with their emotional content, then ask the viewer to step back for another look―to both feel and think, to understand truths beyond words.
More book information can be found at: www.complementsthebook.com
Patricia Z. Smith was the photographer for the “War on Poverty.” She taught photography at the Smithsonian Institution and has had several one-person shows. She was a recognised playwright, a collector of pre-1850 quilts exhibited at the Smithsonian, and is a globally-recognised peace activist. More info at www.complementsthebook.com.
Louise Brody has designed more than 100 books for a variety of leading British, American, and French publishers, museums, and the international press, as well as working with private clients to produce publications for important events or to commemorate achievements.
David Hume Kennerly is a Pulitzer Prize-winning photographer and was the White House photographer under President Gerald Ford. He has photographed 11 presidents, and historic events around the world. His photographs are icons of American history.