Paul Caponigro’s Visual Memories And Hidden Places is the third book published by Veritas Editions in a “Trilogy of Masters”, also featuring Kenro Izu (Impermanence) and George A. Tice (Lifework)
“To me the photographic image is a coming together of time, space, light and viewpoint and to this I would add my emotional stance.” —Paul Caponigro
Paul Caponigro (born 1932, Boston, MA) is a living icon in the world of photographic art. For over sixty years, the revered American photographer has been sharing glimpses of his view of the world through his particular form of noticing. “Being a photographer primarily involves being an observer…” he notes in one of the texts that accompany each of his images, gathered in a handcrafted, fine art limited edition book from Veritas Press.
Early in his career, Caponigro met students of Ansel Adams’, and Bennie Chin in particular was influential in his teaching. He writes, “In time I came to realize that good photography was not the result of good technique alone: the expressive print requires emotional depth and not merely dazzling and can only be artistically effective if that of the soft edged realm of emotion is united with the hard-edged technical concerns … and that transition takes photography from a medium of recording to one of transforming.”
Whether an image of an ordinary frozen windowpane, or a more expansive landscape photograph on location at a site like Stone Henge, this emotional, “transformative” aesthetic subsequently became a signature of his photographs. Master composition and printing techniques combine with imagery full of wonderment and story, whether architectural structures or still life compositions of fruit on a simple kitchen table.
Both a Fine Press Edition and Facsimile Edition have been produced. The Facsimile Edition was conceptually modeled after Ansel Adams Taos Pueblo, originally published in 1930 as a Fine Press Edition and printed as a Facsimile Edition in 1977. Caponigro’s Facsimile Edition has the exact same content as the Fine Press Edition, but images and text are printed in offset lithography.
In the books’ introduction, Caponigro notes that his connection to nature began young, and he considers nature his greatest teacher. His images reflect an ability to notice shape and form and light and translate that emotionally and metaphorically. He shares, “My next venture would be in the darkroom to try and place in a finished print all the feelings and wonderment experienced while capturing the image on film.”
The books’ physical creative elements reflect a similar emotive and intentional aesthetic as Caponigro’s images. The Fine Press Edition includes custom cave paper with marbled paper elements used in the letterpress binding, all housed in a custom artisan-produced clamshell case. A selection of texts from fellow artists, curators, and gallery directors accompany the 15 original tipped in and 3 loose gelatin silver bromide prints. The Fine Press Edition is limited to twenty-five numbered copies, twelve lettered copies, and one Hors de Commerce copy. The Facsimile Edition includes the same images printed in tritone offset lithography, and is limited to 500 copies.
In 2022 Veritas Editions won the Lucie Award for Publisher of the Year for the Kenro Izu book.
Caponigro Facsimile Edition:
Content a 100% Facsimile of the Fine Press Edition
Offset Lithography, tritone printing
Trim Size: 12.5 x 16.5 inches
ISBN: 978-1-955565-02-8
Priced from $250 to $350
Caponigro Fine Press Edition:
Including 15 tipped-in and 3 loose gelatin silver bromide prints
Fully Letterpress printing
Trim Size: 12.5 x 16.5 inches
Housed in custom artisan-produced clamshell case
Edition of 25 numbered copies, 12 lettered copies, and one Hors de Commerce copy
ISBN: 978-1-955565-01-1
Contact Veritas Editions for pricing and details.
