Clay Maxwell Jordan
Clay Maxwell Jordan
Nothing’s Coming Soon
1st edition, (550 printed)
96 pages
Hardcover
Fall Line Press
2019
From the artist:
"Nothing's Coming Soon" is the first photography monograph by artist Clay Maxwell Jordan. The images were primarily made in the American South and were inspired by the Buddhist belief that "life is suffering". The themes of death, mortality, and decay are counterbalanced with images of grace and unmitigated beauty. What emerges is a poetic, existential mediation on the human condition.
Grab a copy of the book here
Book review by Dana Stirling |
The first thing that struck me in Clay’s book was how crisp and beautiful all the images were. It made me appreciate the craftsmanship of these images and appreciate how well color photography can be done when done really well. Sometimes it feels shallow to look at photography from its technical side, but honestly, sometimes when an image is co clean, vibrant and sharp you are allowed to dive even deeper within the world of the image as there is nothing standing between you and the image – it is a clear window in to this moment and you are allowed to take part visually.
Each photograph stands alone in that it truly is able to capture and tell a story within those four corners. Together, this book and all the images in it start to weave a story of people, decay, life, death and everything within that. The images are both poetic and hyper realistic which create an interesting visual where you are aware of the harsh reality yet can also enjoy the subtle enigmatic lyrical aspects that peak through.
I think a big success in this book and perhaps the project in general is how close Clay gets to these people and places. I can see the details of their faces, clothes and expression. They are so close to me that I can almost imagine taking the photo myself, while looking in to their eyes from the view finder. This closeness to these people is something that I personally could never do, and that is why I appreciate and admire it even more.
From reading a little about the book from Clay’s words, the notion of “Life is suffering” that comes from the Buddhist philosophy, intrigued me. I was curious to why the title of the book was “Nothing’s Coming Soon” and once I had this notion in mind it all clicked. The idea of emptiness alongside richness and color, the duality of life that is so elegantly captured in this book all started to make sense. While looking at the past, we are looking at the present and future all in one image. There is sadness and hope in it all. Nothing’s coming soon – what an empty yet powerful statement. Something I think many of us can relate to in one way or another. No?
The sequencing in the book makes the images flow effortlessly and creates really interesting juxtapositions between images. The book layout seems to be well thought out and carefully curated to create a beautiful and poetic flow of images. Many of the pairing almost make no sense - they are not a typical pair of images. They don’t necessarily share the same color scheme, or theme, or event etc. They look as if they are two randomly paired images yet they not only ‘work’ they enhance each other. These little stories are not black and white, not crystal clear, but they leave enough room for me, as the viewer, to interpenetrate and express my feeling through these images. I think this is the essence of what makes a good diptych of images.
This books makes me happy for some reason. Yes, there is also a darkness and sadness in the book but for me I see life, a celebration of humanity for all its shapes and colors. I enjoy looking at these images over and over again because I enjoy their photographic and visual quality and it makes me honored to know that I own this book in my library.
I recommend you getting a copy of this book by clicking here – you will not regret this purchase and it is a must have for any photography lover out there.
