Blue Muse
Timothy Duffy's Southern Photographs
by Timothy Duffy
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Pub Date Feb 25 2019 | Archive Date Feb 18 2019
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Description
Foreword by Russell Lord; Introduction by William Ferris.
The tintype is rooted in more than 150 years of photographic method. In this collection of extraordinary portraits, Timothy Duffy brings new vitality to this old form, capturing powerful images of musicians who represent the roots of American music. These American blues, jazz, and folk artists are living expressions of a cultural legacy, made and remade by everyday people and passed down through generations. In the hands of the people in Duffy's portraits, centuries-old traditions find new expression in this digital millennium. Likewise, Duffy's photographic techniques fuse old forms and the original collodion wet plates with modern lighting. In this collaboration between photographer and artist, music and image meet around a history of struggle, adaptability, and creativity. It is this ethos that Duffy captures in his tintypes.
Some of the musicians in Duffy's photographs have found fame, but most have not. While the world finds inspiration in the grassroots creativity of these musicians, barriers of class, race, and place often keep them underacknowledged and obscured. But in these photographs, Duffy demands they be seen.
Advance Praise
"Timothy Duffy, like many of the musicians his photographs portray, has the ability to meld past and present into a joyful, singular moment of timelessness. His images movingly convey the soul of his subjects and of the places in which they live."--Sally Mann
"From my first encounter with Timothy Duffy’s photographs in the early 1990s, what has struck me to my core is how his subjects speak through their eyes to your senses, using a timeless human language. That feeling never stops once you’ve seen the images. This collection is the finest of the fine."--Taj Mahal
"Beautiful, powerful, and unique photograph work."--Eric Lutz, Saint Louis Art Museum
"With gut-wrenching honesty and compassion, Timothy Duffy transcends himself in work that reveals his deep relationship to his subjects and their worlds. The collection of tintypes in Blue Muse deserves to be heralded as one of the great contributions to the history of photography."--Steven Albahari, Publisher, 21st Editions
Marketing Plan
• Advance Readers Copies available
• NetGalley campaign
• Major print reviews and features
• National radio and television coverage
• Online publicity campaign
National Advertising
• New York Review of Books
Available Editions
| EDITION | Hardcover |
| ISBN | 9781469648262 |
| PRICE | $60.00 (USD) |
Featured Reviews
Diane H, Reviewer
Blue Muse contains fifty photographs of blues, jazz, folk, and gospel musicians. It also includes ten more landscapes and close-ups of musical instruments. All use a tintype process that was popular during the Civil War.
The long exposures and judicious use of light and shadow make statements about the life of those depicted. All appear to be traveling a hard-luck road, whether from poverty or poor choices. The use of the old tintype process enhances this feeling. Some subjects clearly enjoy being photographed—others not so much.
Blue Muse is recommended for both photography and traditional music fans. The photographs are intense and beautiful. 4 stars!
Thanks to University of North Carolina Press and NetGalley for an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.
Jackie T, Reviewer
Any blues lover will find this haunting book of tintype photographs evocative of the history of blues music and musicians. The photographs seem to be of subjects from the early 20th century, but are actually taken in the past five years. Gorgeous, smoky backgrounds, ramshackle trailers and shacks, funky speakeasies are on display throughout. The musicians themselves are of many ages and include male and female musicians.
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