Four Photographers. 4x4. Four Photographers by Four Writers.

University of Colorado, 1987. Illustrated wraps, catalog for exhibition at Boulder Summer Photography Workshops, curated by Barbara Jo Revelle. Introduction by Alex Sweetman. Illustrated with B&W photos. Includes Eileen Cowin by Mark Johnstone; Nathan Lyon by Leroy Searle; Mary Ellen Mark by Shelley Rice; and John Wood by Susan E. Cohen. 39 pages. Fine. Summary:

4 x 4: Four Photographers by Four Writers (1987), published by the Department of Fine Arts at the University of Colorado Boulder, is an exhibition catalog and critical monograph that pairs four contemporary photographers with four distinct writers and critics.

Key Details & Summary

• Structure & Format: The volume is structured around four distinct pairings, featuring black-and-white visual portfolios accompanied by critical essays that examine each artist's unique methodology, thematic focus, and visual vocabulary.

• Photographer & Writer Pairings:

  • Eileen Cowin (essay by Mark Johnstone): Explores Cowin's staged, narrative-driven tableaux and photographic dramas that deal with interpersonal relationships and media tropes.

  • Nathan Lyons (essay by Leroy Searle): Examines Lyons's sequence-based documentary imagery and visual discourse on American social landscape and cultural notation.

  • Mary Ellen Mark (essay by Shelley Rice): Analyzes Mark's empathetic documentary photojournalism, focusing on projects ranging from Indian circus performers to socio-political subcultures.

  • John Wood (essay by Susan E. Cohen): Discusses Wood's experimental work combining photography, collage, drawing, and cyanotype processes to explore nature, modern life, and visual form.

• Critical Context: The catalog serves as an interdisciplinary dialogue between critical writing and photographic practice, exploring how diverse approaches—staged photography, social documentary, photojournalism, and mixed-media experimentation—reflect mid-to-late 20th-century visual culture.