Daniel Coburn's monograph reflects decade's worth of compelling photography


LAWRENCE — Kehrer Verlag Heidelburg Berlin, a publisher of fine art and photography books, has published "The Hereditary Estate" by Daniel Coburn, assistant professor of photo media at the University of Kansas.

"The Hereditary Estate" is a retrospective of a decade’s worth of Coburn’s beautiful and compelling photographs.

Frustrated by the lack of images of the true and sometimes troubling nature of his own family history, the photographer set out to create a supplement to his broken family album.

“My work and research investigates the family photo album as a sort of visual infrastructure for the flawed ideology of the American Dream,” Coburn said.

Using photographs made over the last decade as well as altered, amateur photos, he weaves a family narrative that is both beautiful and terrifying. His careful sequencing of these images creates a powerful dialogue with the viewer, designed to inspire an emotional and visceral response.

Karen Irvine, curator and associate director at the Museum of Contemporary Photography, Chicago, and Kirsten Pai Buick, associate professor of art history at the University of New Mexico, contributed texts to the book. KU Assistant Professor Tim Hossler was the book’s principal designer. 

Coburn’s work has been featured in exhibitions at the Los Angeles Center for Digital Art and the Chelsea Museum of Art in New York. His prints are held in collections at the Museum of Contemporary Photography (Chicago), the University of New Mexico Art Museum, the Mulvane Museum of Art and the Marianna Kistler-Beach Museum of Art, among others.

He joined the Department of Design faculty in 2013. He received his MFA with distinction from the University of New Mexico and his BFA with an emphasis in photography from Washburn University.

The Hereditary Estate and other photographs and projects by Daniel Coburn can be viewed at his website

 

Tue, 01/27/2015

author

Charles Linn

Media Contacts

Charles Linn

School of Architecture & Design

785-864-4336