The first major colour illustrated book exploring and celebrating the work of Scottish photographer Calum Colvin, a coherent overview of Colvin’s work and practice.
This book is a celebration of the extraordinary variety of Calum Colvin’s work from the past four decades. Tom Normand comprehensively explores the artist’s collection, selecting core subjects and ideas, examining diverse tropes and genres, and reviewing topics and issues.
He is one of Scotland’s most innovative photographers, and his photographs are complex constructions. They are composed of three-dimensional stage-sets, populated by everyday household objects, and overpainted with subjects that relate to fine art and to popular culture; as well as to global history, identity, and ecology.
Looking at these artworks will involve the viewer in a kind of puzzle, for these photographs need to be interpreted. When explored the photographs reveal a world that is comical and serious, joyous and profound, imaginative and original. Calum Colvin’s photographs, then, allow us to recognise the wonder in contemporary life, and to share in the pleasure of a wild creative journey.
The author Dr Tom Normand is an art historian specialising in British, and especially Scottish art, photography and culture.
‘A brilliant book. It’s rare to find an artist that gives you history, myth, comedy, tragedy, pathos and drama all at the same time. Seeing one of his works is like going to the theatre, hell, it’s like going to great theatre.’
David Mach R.A., sculptor and installation artist
