Michals, Duane. Homage to Cavafy by Duane Michals.

Addison House, 1978. 1st edition in wraps. Photographs of men, sometimes nude, by Michals in sympathy with poetry by Cavafy. Front hinge of dust jacket repaired with Japanese tissue. Bottom of front of dust jacket has small chip and there is a brown spot on front of dust jacket at top left.  Other than dust jacket, fine. Fine/VG.  

Duane Michals (1932–2026) was an influential American photographer who transformed mid-20th-century photography through his innovative use of narrative sequences and handwritten text overlaid onto prints. Emerging in the 1960s as a self-taught artist after initial training in graphic design, Michals departed from traditional photojournalism and formalist aesthetics to create staged, multi-frame stories that explored existential themes such as mortality, desire, memory, and spiritual identity. In addition to his groundbreaking fine art projects and widespread international exhibitions—including solo shows at the Museum of Modern Art and the International Center of Photography—he was celebrated for his commercial work and intimate portraits of major cultural figures such as René Magritte, Andy Warhol, and Marcel Duchamp. Michals passed away in Manhattan on June 9, 2026, at the age of 94, leaving behind a legacy as one of modern photography's most singular storytellers.

Homage to Cavafy is an intimate, deeply personal artist's book by photographer Duane Michals that celebrates the life, courage, and sensual poetry of the early 20th-century Greek poet Constantine P. Cavafy.

Key Focus Areas

• The Structure: The book follows a deliberate, rhythmic structure pairing selected poems by Cavafy with Michals' signature black-and-white photographs. Rather than providing a strict biographical account, the book functions as a loose, poetic dialogue between the two artists.

• The Style and Format: True to Michals' iconic methodology, the photographs feature handwritten inscriptions and captions penned directly beneath the images. These narratives explore themes of fleeting time, unfulfilled longing, memory, and the unspoken emotional currents between people.

• The Queer Subtext: The collection explores gay desire and male intimacy. Many of the photographs feature male nudes and romantic portraits, honoring Cavafy’s historic role as an early writer who wrote honestly about loving other men despite living in an intolerant society.

• The Artistic Mission: Michals uses his introduction to salute Cavafy's vulnerability and strength. The book serves as a vehicle for queer self-genealogy, showing how the power of art can protect a person's inner truth, transcend time, and ultimately free future generations.