Will Self – Perfidious Man

Synopsis:
Through text and pictures, this book will explores what it is to be a man at the turn of the century, whether masculinity can be said to have any currency any more, and asks “where have all the real men gone?”

“As the blurb describes, it centres around the concept of masculinity. The role of the male in the modern world. After forty years of feminism, Will Self and David Gamble seem to suggest that not only has traditional male-gender roles been virtually erased, but there does not seem to any sufficient replacement. The ‘New Man’ seeming to be something of an optimistic sociological euphemism for the empty shell which rests in its place.

However, through the beautiful black-and-white images of David Gamble. A wide variety of different men, from different countries, races, social background and occupations: Gamble seems to establish a fair cross-reference of the everyday world. From children, to transvestites, to artists, to writers, to people selling batteries in New York, to nuclear physicists (Stephen Hawking is included), Gamble finds a place for all of them. His photographs are beautifully naturalistic, and are a pleasure to look at. Subtle, yet powerful.” – Rhys Tranter

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“This book of photographs and text is an intriguing collaboration between the photographer David Gamble and that portraitist of a grotesque humanity, Will Self. Gamble has snapped all manner of men at work and play, from celebrities and artists (Hockney, Hawking, Bruno, Crisp) to hippies, sailors, drinkers and protesters.For the most part the pictures are unposed and spontaneous, framed to give us a glimpse of masculinity in process. Or should that be in crisis?”

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