own photo books, he published Larry Clark’s semi-
nalTulsa, in 1971, showing in harrowing images
teenage amphetamine addiction; as well asPass-
port, 1974, which helped establish the reputation
of photojournalist Mark Ellen Mark. Gibson’s first
book wasThe Somnambulist, published in 1970.
In contrast to the documentary style in photogra-
phy in which clarity of information is essential,
Gibson describedThe Somnambulistas a ‘‘dream
sequence.’’ It is the first of three books that form
theBlack Trilogy.Gibson’s conceptual approach
was subtractive, with importance placed on what
was not presented in the photograph; that is, the
meaning was generated by what the viewer did not
see—the formal qualities of the work, such as the
patterns of highlights and shadows implying what
Gibson called a ‘‘non-specific narrative.’’ Alain Re-
nais’ mysterious, black-and-white film,Last Year
at Marienbad(1961), with the screenplay by Alain
Robbe-Grillet, had been especially significant for
Gibson.Deja-Vu,published in 1973, andDays at
Sea,1974, complete theBlack Trilogy.Days at Sea
shows Gibson’s often grainy images becoming
increasingly abstract; there is also a heightened
sense of the erotic that results from the mysterious
tableaux and anonymous figures.The Somnambu-
listbroke new ground in that it relied very little on
text. The book was the ideal medium for Gibson,
because he could control the juxtaposition and seq-
uence of the images, leading the viewer to make
comparisons and develop a narrative.
In the 1980s, Gibson continued his unique
approach in Syntax (1983), L’Anonyme (1986),
andTropism (1987), the latter two books pub-
lished by Aperture. Gibson has said, ‘‘Whatever
the mode—from the snapshot to the decisive
moment to multimedia montage—the intent and
purpose of photography is to render in visual
terms feelings and experiences that often elude
the ability of words to describe.’’ Gibson provides
additional insight when he says, ‘‘[A] photogra-
pher’s need to create becomes ‘the event’ itself
and the photographer finds himself responding
to feelings that can only be defined after he has
made the photograph.’’
Preferring the 35-mm Leica M-3 with a 50-mm
lens, Gibson has also used 28, 35, and 90-mm
lenses. His use of high-speed Tri-X film in bright
sunlight, which he also overexposes and underde-
velops, results in dense negatives that allow him to
achieve the grain and contrast he desires. Although
primarily known for his books, Gibson also creates
11 14 and 1620 prints for exhibitions.
In 1991, after having established a reputation as
a black-and-white photographer, Gibson published
L’Histoire De France, his foray into color photo-
graphy, and his fifteenth published monograph. It
is an adventure in which he continued to fragment
and isolate objects; his use of color is restrained
and is carefully integrated into the total composi-
tion. As in many others of his books,L’Histoire
features little text, only an introduction (by Mar-
guerite Duras), chapter titles, and an afterward.
Gibson’s seriesEx Libris(2001), consisting of
109 duotone photographs, expresses his lifelong
interest in books and language. For this project,
he photographed signs, letter forms, icons, and
images representing the history of mankind. Sub-
jects include the Rosetta Stone, the Koran, the
Gutenberg Bible, and a wide variety of objects se-
lected from international museums. This series also
showcased his first use of 3040-inch Iris prints,
and archival, digital inkjet technology.
While Gibson seems to maintain the essence of
the medium of photography, he also expands the
parameters of both image and technique. His sug-
gestive glimpses of reality create visual riddles that
appeal to the unconscious and imagination. By
asking the viewer to participate in his act of crea-
tion by imagining the narrative, Gibson transports
the viewer to a dreamlike world where everything
seems pregnant with possibility.
DarwinMarable
Seealso:Fine Arts Presses; Robert FrankBiography
Born in Los Angeles, California, January 16, 1930. Studied
photography while in the United States Navy, Mediter-
ranean Fleet, 1956–1960, and at the San Francisco Art
Institute, 1960–1961. Assistant to Dorothea Lange, San
Francisco, 1961–1962 and Robert Frank on the films,
Me and My Brother, New York, 1967–1969 andCon-
versations in Vermont, 1969. Moved to New York in
1969 and founded Lustrum Press. PublishedSomnam-
bulist,the first of the Black Trilogy in 1970, followed by
Deja-Vuin 1973 andDays at Seain 1974.L’Histoire De
France, first color photographs, published in 1991. In
Ex Libris in 2001, continues his lifelong interest in
books and language. National Endowment for the
Arts Fellowships, 1973, 1975, 1986. John Simon Gug-
genheim Memorial Fellowship, 1985. Officier, de
L’Ordre des Arts et des Lettres de France, 1986 and
Commandeur de L’Ordre des Arts et des Lettres de
France. Grand Medal of the City of Arles, France,- Lives in New York and France.
Selected Individual Exhibitions
1976 Castelli Graphics, New York
1978 Center for Creative Photography, University of Ari-
zona, TucsonGIBSON, RALPH