5 to Read: This Month

Questioning how individuals engage with a hyperactive, digitalised world, this month’s new releases look at the importance of architectural and photographic forms for the continuation of social innovation and progression.

Ian Haydn Smith, The Short Story of Photography: A Pocket Guide to Key Genres, Works, Themes and Techniques, Laurence King.

The Short Story of Photography pinpoints 50 iconic images from photographic history, offering a condensed overview of the technological gaze. By exploring why specific images become iconic, details of stylistic genres and revolutionary techniques enlighten readers of the secrets behind the perfect composition. Including work by Cindy Sherman and Robert Mapplethorpe, the book introduces a legacy of vision, and notes the ongoing prevalence of photography in the digital age.

Released 8 May. Find out more here.

Chris Dorley-Brown, The Corners, Hoxton Mini Press.

A collection of cluttered façades and textured surfaces characterises the layered exposures of East London’s street corners. The Corners reflects on photographer Chris Dorley-Brown’s (b. 1958) 20 year affiliation with the capital, presenting dream-like portrayals of the concrete environment. Questioning how the urban topography has developed overtime, and how gentrification has altered the cultural makeup of the area, the book romanticises the past yet celebrates the future.

Released 17 May. Find out more here.

Michelle Groskopf, Sentimental, The Magenta Foundation, Thames and Hudson.

Taking a closer look at the diverse personas which dominate the streets of Los Angeles, Michelle Groskopt’s crowdfunded photobook acts as a collective diary, commenting on everyday life, memories and nostalgia. By specialising in the art of bearing witness, the photographer presents Sentimental, a collection of super cropped, high-octane portraits which document the fashions and activities of an assortment of residents and tourists.

Released 3 May. Find out more here.

Ronald Rael and Virginia San Fratello, Printing Architecture, Princeton Architectural Press.

Emerging Objects, a design firm based in San Francisco Bay, experiment with 3D printing to create minimalist architectural forms. Printing Architecture acts as a guide for budding practitioners, presenting detailed case studies which illustrate how new media can forge new structure capabilities. Beyond the structures, the boundaries of materiality are addressed as saw dust, coffee grounds and salt become printed entities, offering a new realm of ecological possibilities.

Released 1 May. Find out more here.

Anna Sparham and Inua Ellams, London Nights, Hoxton Mini Press.

London Nights depicts the duel character of the ever-changing capital, portraying the beautiful yet eerie night-time sceneries through a darkened lens. Essays by Curator of Museum of London, Anna Sparham, and Inua Ellams, a cross arts performer, accompany over 60 photographs from an array of creatives including Nick Turpin, William Eckersley  and Tish Murtha. The release coincides with an exhibition of the same name, until 11 November at Museum of London.

Released 3 May. Find out more here.

Credits:
1. Cindy Sherman, Untitled, from The Short Story of Photography.
3. Michelle Groskopf from Sentimental.
4. Ronald Rael and Virginia San Fratello.
5. William Eckersley, from London Nights.