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Thursday, August 5, 2010

Reactions to an evolving thread

Wow! Trent Parke has a new book? I've gotta check it out. [Click the link and...] Hmmm, only a few spreads from the book are shown online. I don't know. It looks sort of strange. It definitely isn't street photography. Not sure what it is exactly, more of a photo fairy tale. On the other hand, it is Trent Parke and it is fairly cheap. Hmmm, I don't know. Gotta think about it.

All these people are ordering the thing sight unseen? Do they know something I don't? Hard to believe they like it that much just based on what's online.

Hmm. At this rate he's probably right. I should just order the thing. What's eighteen bucks? [Click the link, load LBM's order page and...] Nah, I just can't do it. If I saw this book in the kid's section at a bookstore and it wasn't by Trent Parke, would I buy it? Probably not. Is it just the name on the cover then? Is that it? If so, that's like buying a handbag just because it's covered with LVs. Incredibly decadent. I suppose it's like buying stock in Parke and Soth. Good investment probably, but still...Gotta think about it.

Blind faith. But isn't that how the art market works? Maybe that's why I'm reluctant. This just seems so frothy and speculative, just like the art market in general. Are people even reacting to what's in the book or just buying it on the chance it will be collectible?

There's someone who's honest about his reasons.

That settles it. Definitely not buying it.

This is a friggin feeding frenzy. Can't figure it out. Should I post a comment? I'll post a comment.

Do I look like an asshole now? I look like an asshole. Oh well. I wrote from the gut even if it was sanctimonious. Although I did sort of give the impression I had bought the book. Was that dishonest? I should just buy the thing.

Fuck. Oh well. That makes my decision easy. Now I'm even more curious what it looks like.

Fun? Awful? Doesn't tell me much. Won't someone comment on the book itself instead of various shipping issues?

Does the book even matter? Soth could've sold 1000 paperweights if they had Parke's name on them. Just being spiteful now.

Christ! What is this, a Dot-com IPO or a book of photos? I suppose I shouldn't be so cynical. It's tough to sell 1000 books, so kudos to Soth and Parke for a job well accomplished. Still, the whole situation leaves a bad taste in my mouth. Flipping commodities is just so fucked up on so many levels. Does photography need to get dragged into that world? Or maybe it's always been an inhabitant.

Cynical bastard. Yup, you pegged me.

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After selling out in less than 3 days, Trent Parke's Bedknobs and Broomsticks can now be found online at prices ranging from $200 on up. There is a brief review of the book by Tom Leininger in the recent Fraction Magazine 17.

The original unabridged Flickr HCSP thread about the book can be found here.