Foreword by Deborah Zafman
Using some of the world's most iconic public spaces as backdrops, this ethereal and unusual collection of two hundred photographs presents riveting author and artist Nu Som's fascination with privacy and freedom. Comprised of both original black-and-white and color images, Nudescapes is a shocking and beautiful investigation of the seamless way in which the body fits into an array of environments without interruption. The book features a wide variety of culturally significant locations, such as the Grand Canal in Venice and the Lincoln Memorial, while also including the scenic landscape of the Oregon coast and the Arizona desert. Timely, the distinctive never before bound collection looks into how the nude body is policed and found legible; Som's work fills the pages with contradictions and unexpected experiences for the reader. Full of theatrics, emotion, and exhibitionism, this daring, artistically challenging debut attempts to eliminate the divide between public and private, beckoning all to consider where humanity's place lies in the universe.
About the Authors:
Nu Som, photographer, was born and raised in the streets of Paris, France has lived and worked in New York City since 1995. She has worked as an actress on stage and screen, eventually migrating behind the camera. Primarily self-taught, she has created a successful commercial career in print, and is known in the music world as an exclusive and respected New York City portrait artist. Her work has been featured in numerous publications, including covers and features in Bass Player Magazine and Jazz Life & Glamour. Nu Som currently resides in New York City.
Deborah Zafman, PhD, AAA, earned her doctorate in the history of art from UC Berkeley where she was awarded the McEnerny Fellowship for innovation in teaching. She currently writes for Christie's and has published reviews for Art Press in France and essays in numerous exhibition catalogs. A recipient of numerous fellowships including a Fulbright and the Alexander von Humboldt Chancellor's Award, Zafman studied art history abroad in Florence, Berlin, and Paris and is fluent in six languages. She ran a thriving contemporary art gallery in Paris before returning to the US and becoming an art advisor and certified member of the Appraisers Association of America.
ISBN: 978-0-9987474-2-2
11 4⁄5 x 9"; 264 pages; hardcover;
164 4/c and b/w images
