Ray's a Laugh

by Richard Billingham (Photographer)

British photographer Richard Billingham has produced a frighteningly personal artist's book in the tradition of Nan Goldin's "Ballad of Sexual dependency" and R. Crumb's cartoons and films. Here the subject is Billingham's own dysfunctional family torn apart by the ravages of alcoholism and poverty. Billingham documents their squalid surroundings and violent interactions with shocking candor. He turns his camera lens on Raymond, his alcoholic father, stumbling through his life in a drunken stupor; Elizabeth, his mother, covered in tattoos who fills the emotional void in her life with her collection of pets; and Jason, his brother, an aimless young man who is drawn to drugs. This project blasts the lid off of one of our remaining taboos.

Genres: Photography, Art and Photography, Art

112 pages, Paperback

First published May 1, 1996

About the author

Richard Billingham was born in Birmingham and studied at the University of Sunderland. He began taking photographs of his family in their council flat in 1990 to use as studies for paintings. However when he exhibited the photographs as works in their own right, they quickly brought him to the attention of the art world. His photographs have been hailed as a mass of contradictions and praised for their lack of condescension. They are an unique and highly personal document of working- class identity in Britain, showing a 'warts and all' look at the life of Billingham's family.

Reviews

[Merlin · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the book that really opened my eyes to the capabilities of story telling in photo book format. It is intense in all the best ways! You get to see and feel anger, sadness, frustration but also love and humor, all within the short span of this beautifully paced book. My teacher told me don´t be like Richard and peak on your first real project, but if ever we´re to produce something even remotely flooring as Ray´s a Laugh, I´d be more than satisfied.
Only thing that sucks is that it´s impossible to find it under 250€ in acceptable condition.

[Christian Gale · Rating 5 out of 5]

Can't believe I actually found this (first hardcover ed) at a used bookstore and can't believe it was everything I hoped for and more. Never seen a collection of photography quite like it, I was floored.

[Anna Ryan-Punch · Rating 5 out of 5]

Intense.

[lex · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love photobooks about families the most and it doesn’t get more honest than this. An unflinching look at poverty and alcoholism but the affection always shows through. A magnificent book. Get it while it’s still available.

This 2024 edition expands greatly on the original release from 1996, with almost triple the amount of photos. I prefer to finish photobooks in one sitting and with this new edition this is sadly not really possible anymore. But the new photos are often amazing and it makes it a richer, more varied collection. The sequencing is now also done by Billingham himself and it’s an improvement with a more gradual build-up.

[Orla Barry · Rating 5 out of 5]

Possibly one of my all time fav photography books / beautiful / gritty and honest

[Adri]

"squalid realism" is really interesting to me

[Jacopo Locarno · Rating 5 out of 5]

Unique book, it seems a photography that everyone that can take but is that the precious thing of this work!!

[Nacho · Rating 5 out of 5]

https://youtu.be/7zC-XzGDpsE?si=lv-XE...

[S · Rating 4 out of 5]

So beautiful.

[Julie Grace Immink · Rating 5 out of 5]

Color arrangements inside a jigsaw puzzle

[Carrie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Like a Mike Leigh movie in photos.