The latest book from New York-based photographer Peter Kayafas (born 1971) presents photographs from ten years and thousands of miles of travel in the plains states. A continuation of his 30 years of work along America's backroads, Kayafas uses his camera to explore the present state of the histories and ritualized traditions of the people who live in Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, Oklahoma, and Colorado. Their way of life, their connection to the land and the animals that are their lifeblood, are enduring themes in this body of work. So too is the passage of young people from childhood into the adult world of hard work and knowledge about the struggles and challenges of life in the west. The backdrop for this subtle narrative is the beautiful, rugged and wide-open landscape of the west with all its layers and ironies. A brilliant essay by the celebrated writer Rick Bass accompanies the photographs.
Reviews
Stunning collection of photographs chronicle the youth, horses and county fairs of the Plains states from Idaho to Wyoming. -- Sue Malesevic * Daily Mail *
Here the western sun bleaches and darkens in equal measure, illuminating the spirited lives, young and old, that Kayafas bottles up in his lens. -- Editors * New Criterion *
Photographer Peter Kayafas captures the contemporary soul of a region long obscured by its own enduring myths. -- Edward Gomez * Hyperallergic *
Cowboys, sunsets, rodeos and dust ... that's what people think the west is. But Peter Kayafas travelled from Idaho to Oklahoma, seeking out the real rituals and way of life of a new generation -- Editors * Guardian *



Book Information
ISBN 9780979776830
Author Peter Kayafas
Format Hardback
Page Count 96
Imprint Purple Martin Press
Publisher Purple Martin Press