Holding Venus

by Keith Carter (Photographer), John Wood (Essay)

In his most recent series, Holding Venus, Keith Carter continues to explore what he has referred to as "the poetry of the ordinary", that moment of transcendence when the commonplace becomes the extraordinary. Myth and metaphor form the foundation of Carter's imagery, which transforms the literal into the symbolic. In this sense, the notion of "holding Venus" remarks upon the connection between the earthly and the celestial, at the same time that it attests to the fundamental human aspiration to realize that which is seemingly unattainable.While his early work concentrated on evoking a sense of place and spirit in his native East Texas, Carter has more recently turned his distinct perspective outward, photographing in Italy, France, England, and elsewhere. Yet he approaches his subject matter with humor and celebration and with a probing eye for the human spirit, regardless of time and place. Often, his subjects are merely apparitions, whose forms are slightly obscured by optical distortions. The imagery of Carter's enigmatic world -- ghostly figures and animals, quirky masked characters, and brooding landscapes -- explores the mythological, the surreal, and the intangible that infuse everyday rituals and moments.

Accompanying Keith Carter's most recent images is an essay by John Wood, who is the author of several prize-winning books of poetry and photographic criticism, including the recently released Selected Poems 1968-1998. His essays on a wide variety of subjects have appeared in many books and journals. Wood is the editor of 21st: The Journal of Contemporary Photography.

Genres: Art, Photography

156 pages, Hardcover

First published April 1, 2000