From: Sandy King (sanking@clemson.edu)
Date: 12/14/02-03:47:08 PM Z
Judy Seigel wrote:
>On Sat, 14 Dec 2002, Sandy King wrote:
>> With that in mind here is my answer to your request. I have quite a
>> number of general books on alternative processes. If I were forced to
>> throw all of them away but three, the following would remain.
>>
>> William Crawford, Keepers of Light
>> John Barnier, Coming into Focus
>> Richard Farber, Historic Photographic Processes
>
>Ahem... I do not think the Farber book would go over very well in
>Pakistan. The cover even raised some hackles here in the US -- from folks
>who did not think that conventional soft-pornish (prone, arched back,
>etc.) naked lady (and counterparts throughout) was just another neutral
>art convention. As I understand it, naked is not a viable book cover in an
>Islamic country, and I can hardly imagine this one in the school library.
>
>Unless it's been re-editioned ? There are a couple in the James book,
>also, about 3 or 4 very low key out of hundreds. James's is the book folks
>seem to be talking about & using most, I think, at this moment anyway. I
>also second the motion for Rexer... no how-to, but thoughtful text & art.
>
>J.
Well, what Mr. Fahbub asked for the "3 top most helpful information
stuffed books on Alt- Processes ever," and those are the ones that I
belive fit. I will have to leave it up to the people in Karachi to do
their own censorship in accord with prevailing laws and practices in
Pakistan. In any event virtually all of the books on alternative
processes have images that some people would consider pornographic,
soft or otherwise, so that issue will have to be dealt with
regardless of which three books one selects. I imagine that if the
issue is the image, and not content, the censorship folks could just
blacken out the pages, as has been done in this country in some
instances in the past.
I really was not aware that Farber's book had raised many hackles
here in the US because of its use of "soft-core porn." In fact, the
only place I have every seen the issue raised was here on this list
(other than in an interview by James in which he was promoting his
own book). Nontheless I actually tend to agree with Judy about the
nature of the images and think that it was fairly unenlightened of
Farber to include so much of that type of work, and especially to put
it on the cover.
But on the issue of content I still rank Farber's book very high and
one can be sure that the directions he gives for working all the
processes treated in his book are sound. For that reason I am very
proud to have it in my library, and pleased to recommend it to those
new to alternative work.
Sandy King
, and as best I can recall there was far from wide-spread agreement
on the issue.
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