A Book Review of Stephen Shore's Uncommon Places: The Complete Works

‘Uncommon Places: The Complete Works’ by Stephen Shore was originally published in 1982 by Aperture and has long been unavailable.  This version of the book is essentially a director’s cut, there are ninety-four additionally images on top of the original forty-nine.  Stephan Shore was one of the first artists to take colour to another level, beyond the realms of commercial based photography.  His large format colour work of the landscape has become a foundation over the past thirty years for a vital photographic tradition.

The book is essentially a documentation of Stephen Shore’s trips around North America between 1973 and 1979.  Taking the original ‘Uncommon Places’ into account and expanding upon that work to represent a more modern day America, as if to carry on this continuation of time, a passage of time.

The title of the book “Uncommon Places” is a very controversial heading because the series suggests otherwise.  Showing familiar places in America, taken using an ordinary viewpoint, but what I think Stephen Shore is trying to show is that everyday places are taken for granted and the beauty that is within them is often gone unnoticed.  His images are often bleak and isolated, there doesn’t seem to be much going on, suggesting a lack of movement in the landscape.  Nevertheless, they are also pensive and observational with the use of colour composition, which is a fascinating contrast all at the same time.

The layout is thoughtful and shows a great range of juxtaposed images on a double page, whether this would be the comparison between motels, parking lots or even just simple roads.  You can’t help but compare the images side by side and point out the differences.

To conclude I believe that ‘Uncommon Places: The Complete Works’ is a brilliant documenting piece of art that focuses precisely on North America cultures in the 70’s.  Stephen Shore is an artist I wasn’t too familiar with in the past, but the way he encapsulated the American culture and the way its presented in this book is nothing short of phenomenal, I would recommend this book to any passionate photographer.

Fifth Street and Broadway, Eureka, California, September 2, 1974, Uncommon Places: The  Complete Collection, Stephen Shore

Reference:

Stephen Shore. Uncommon Places: The Complete works. (2004) Thames & Hudson