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A Body This oversize compilation of self-portraits comprises 400 black-and-white images, enlarged (some are foldouts) and grouped according to various parts of photographer Coplans's cropped and headless body. As in an earlier book about the artist and his career, Self-Portrait: John Coplans, 1984-1997, textual content is limited; 25 pages of text include an artist's statement, a chronology, two interviews, and a listing of the artist's exhibitions. The value of this work rests in its scope rather than in its depth, as it covers the almost-20-year period during which Coplans photographed his aging, naked body. A painter, magazine editor, and museum director, Coplans has established a position for himself and his self-portraits by transcending traditional boundaries, at times alluding to various art historical works and establishing relationships between photography and the other visual arts. Because Coplans is a well-known art-world personality whose works are found internationally in more than 65 museums, this volume is strongly recommended for all art collections covering photography but particularly for those that do not include any works on Coplans's self-portraits and career. Monographic publications pertaining to this artist's works and career are largely unobtainable in book markets. Hardcover, 160 pages
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