Close at Hand

"These photographs burn in the retina and then in the body and mind. They unfold with uncanny and luminous elegance."—from the Introduction by Arthur Sze

In a bold departure from her traditional portraiture, acclaimed photographer Mariana Cook turns her eye to the lovely, overlooked world found close at hand. Beginning January 1, 1999, one year before the new millennium, Cook set herself the task of taking one very serious photograph every day, forcing her to look anew at everything surrounding her. The resulting work is a passionate celebration of looking closely. This is not a diary or self-interested exhibition, rather it is a celebration of form and transformation, a warm and thankful awareness of the world around us. It is impossible to resist these tender images—a child's feet in the sand, bands of light on the living room floor, a single glistening oyster—or to remain unaffected by the subtle poignancy of the familiar made mysterious. 96 duotone photographs.

Mariana Cook is the last protégée of Ansel Adams, and her prints are held in numerous collections, including the Museum of Modern Art, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, and the National Portrait Gallery. Her portraits have been reproduced in her much-celebrated books Fathers and Daughters, Mothers and Sons, Generations of Women, Couples, and Faces of Science. She lives with her husband and daughter in New York City.