Link, Richard. Fossils by Richard Link.

Richard Link, 1972. Self-published artist's book illustrated with 23 full page spooky black-and-white photographs. Near fine with a couple of nicks on covers. Summary:

 Fossils (1972) is a rare, self-published artist book by photographer Richard Link. Distinct from scientific or paleontological texts, this slim volume is a conceptual photographic work that explores the intersections of history, memory, and preservation through a quirky visual narrative.

Key Structural & Thematic Focuses

• A Museum-Centric Setting: The book consists of 23 full-page, high-contrast black-and-white photographs. The visual sequence is shot entirely in and around natural history museums.

• The Conceptual Meaning of "Fossils": Link uses his imagery to play on the double meaning of the word "fossil." Rather than focusing strictly on prehistoric remains, the photographs treat the museum exhibits, the dioramas, and even the visitors and surrounding environments as artifacts frozen in time by the camera lens.

• Sequential Irony: The book is structured as a specific, intentional visual sequence that starts inside a natural history museum and moves outward. Link injects a sense of humor and absurdity into the framing, contrasting the sterile, preserved world of the exhibits with the living world outside.

Fossils is a minimalist photographic essay that transforms a public space of education into a surreal commentary on time. By documenting things that are already preserved or "dead," Link uses photography as a meta-tool to capture the essence of preservation itself, turning everyday museum sights into artistic artifacts.