JOEL MEYEROWITZ - REDHEADS

Joel Meyerowitz – Redheads brings together a series of portraits begun in 1978, when Meyerowitz spent his first summer working with an 8 × 10-inch large-format camera on Cape Cod. Against the blue backdrop of the coast, he became fascinated by the way red hair, pale skin, and freckles responded to the summer light, beginning a photographic study that would develop over the following years.

Meyerowitz sought out redheaded subjects of different ages and backgrounds, photographing each with the same direct, eye-level approach. Despite differences in nationality, age, and identity, the portraits reveal an unexpected visual connection between their subjects. The project also reflects Meyerowitz’s longstanding interest in color itself, particularly the relationship between red hair, changing light, and the color photographic process.

Originally published in 1990, this expanded edition from Damiani returns to Meyerowitz’s celebrated series with previously unseen portraits, including 16 additional images. The result is both a study of a distinctive physical characteristic and an exploration of individuality, portraiture, and color photography.