Ezekiel's Horse
Majestic, intelligent, sculptural: the horse is our partner in work and play and holds a unique place in the human psyche. In this, his eighth book, East Texas photographer Carter photographs horses and their domains in his characteristically unsentimental yet timeless manner. Including the occasional kinetic image of sculptures, Carter avoids the typical cuteness reserved for pictures of these animals. He presents horses as resolute, serious, powerful, and sincere, like figures remembered from a dream. Carter manipulates focus so that details are revealed and obscured selectively, a technique heightened by his deft use of tone and grain. The result is a series of 75 resonant and striking black-and-white images in homage to this beast. The book design is remarkable: full pages are devoted to each image, with titles prominently displayed opposite. Interspersed throughout are brief quotes about horses from various spiritual and cultural texts. An exuberant introduction by critic John Wood and an artist's statement sandwich the photographs. A solid addition to this photographer's oeuvre, this book is recommended for large academic and public libraries. Debora Miller, MinneapolisCopyright 2001 Reed Business Information, Inc.