First edition, first printing. Hardcover. Fine cloth, with dust jacket, in a cloth slipcase. Introduction by Bill Jay (on the subject of Easter Island and the speculation surrounding its history). 72 pp. with 40 duotone plates beautifully printed onmatte art paper. 13 x 12 inches. This first edition was limited to 1000 numbered hardbound copies. Out of print (sold out upon publication). From the publisher: "Situated in the South Pacific, Easter Island is more than 2,000 miles from the nearest population centers, making it one of the most isolated places on earth. Best known for the giant stone monoliths, or Moai, dotting its coastline, the island was named by Admiral Roggeveen, who chanced upon the triangle of volcanic rock on Easter Sunday in the year 1772. Michael Kenna has photographed Easter Island over a period of two years, creating a powerful new body of work which pays homage to the beauty of the island and the continuing mystery of its past."
For over thirty five years, British born Michael Kenna has been looking at landscapes in ways quite out of the ordinary. His mysterious photographs, often made at dawn or in the dark hours of night, concentrate primarily on the interaction between the ephemeral atmospheric conditions of the natural landscape, and human-made structures and sculptural mass. Kenna is both a diurnal and nocturnal photographer, fascinated by times of day when light is at its most pliant. Using non digital equipment, his night time exposures can last up to ten hours, and his photographs often record details that the human eye is not able to perceive.
Kenna's intimate, exquisitely hand crafted black and white photographic prints reflect a sense of refinement, respect for history, and thorough originality. They have been exhibited in numerous galleries and museums throughout the world and are included in such permanent collections as The National Gallery, Washington, D.C.; The Bibliotheque Nationale, Paris; The Shanghai Art Museum; and The Victoria and Albert Museum, London. Over forty books and catalogs have been published on Kenna's work.
Website: www.michaelkenna.com
