Meatyard / Merton / Merton / Meatyard : Photographing Thomas Merton

Thirty-eight photographs by Ralph Meatyard, an important if often-overlooked American photographer, provide an intimate look at the private life of one of the most renowned and influential spiritual thinkers of the 20th century in the last two years before his death. Excerpts from Thomas Merton’s own journals serve as captions to the images, offering a profound emotional context. Also included are eight previously unreleased pieces of Merton’s own stunning calligraphic art, as well as essays by Roger Lipsey, an expert on Merton’s art; Chris Meatyard, the photographer’s son; and Stephen Reily, who discusses the close relationship between the photographer and the spiritual teacher.

Ralph Eugene Meatyard was an American photographer best known for the incorporation of dolls and masks in his work. Thomas Merton was a writer, mystic, and Trappist monk. He is best known for his autobiography, The Seven Storey Mountain.