South Central

by Mark Steinmetz

Renowned for his modest yet powerful photographs that capture the sense of displacement and isolation felt by many young Americans, Mark Steinmetz photographed in and around Knoxville, Tennessee to create the work that makes up  South Central. The title of the book is derived from the South Central Bell telephone company that serves Knoxville, and their public pay phones are a recurring theme in this work; an iconic reminder of the area's socio-economic condition. The artist possesses an uncanny ability to pull folly, aggression and tenderness through his lens simultaneously, and delivers with this book a powerful and touching visual novel of the human condition.

In this new, remastered edition the format, sequence and design are true to the original printings. The materials, however, have been upgraded; the books are now bound in cloth over board, and printed in quadratone on a special matte art paper.

Long out of print, South Central, South East and Greater Atlanta have been elusive goals for many libraries. This remastered release will be a welcome addition to any good library of photographic books.

Read CBC's curator notes on South Central here