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Conventional Wisdom
An unconventional chronicle, Conventional Wisdom is author-photographer ArthurDrooker's quirky look at conventions held by some unusual interest groups, including Lincolnpresenters, furries, and mermaids. Dropper documents these events as unique expressions ofcommunity, culture, and connection. The humorous and insightful text,including intimate interviews conducted with attendees, complements the stunning photographsDrooker shot during his visits to each convention over a three-year period. From theballrooms to the vendor rooms to the guest rooms, Drooker's ubiquitous camera capturesthe essence and exuberance of these annual gatherings.
Conventional Wisdom shows that regardless of what they'reabout, where they're held or who attends them, all conventions satisfy a basichuman a longing to belong. The bookreveals that at conventions people who share similar interests, evenobsessions, come together to bond and to be themselves. The outside world doesn'tmatter. In fact, for the weekend duration of most conventions, the outsideworld doesn't even exist. An attendee Drooker met at the taxidermist conventionexpressed it best. “This isn't a convention,” he said. “It's a family reunion.”
Conventional Wisdom shows that regardless of what they'reabout, where they're held or who attends them, all conventions satisfy a basichuman a longing to belong. The bookreveals that at conventions people who share similar interests, evenobsessions, come together to bond and to be themselves. The outside world doesn'tmatter. In fact, for the weekend duration of most conventions, the outsideworld doesn't even exist. An attendee Drooker met at the taxidermist conventionexpressed it best. “This isn't a convention,” he said. “It's a family reunion.”
192 pages, Hardcover
Published August 22, 2016
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
November 30, 2018
Fun. Just fun. Interesting tribes of people and good pictures. A browser.
October 16, 2016
I picked this one up on a whim. I like coffee table books, but lacking a coffee table, I don't pick them up as much anymore. In this one, the author/photographer traveled around the United States visiting conventions. He didn't bother with boring sales conventions or anything like that. He checked out cons for furries, and fetishists, ventriloquists and Santa Clauses, etc. The photography is gorgeous, but there's not much else here.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews