Casanave, Martha. Past Lives: Photographs by Martha Casanave. David R. Godine, 1991.

Essays by Ted Orland and Lyn Hejinian. First edition, fine hardcover in red cloth with very good protected dust jacket that has minor edge wear. 56 pages.  Casanave's photographs are presented in the following series: Portraits; Nudes; Narratives; Out in the Cold: An American in the Soviet Union; and Leningrad in Winter. Afterword by Eelco Wolf. Very attractively printed on Agfa paper. Summary:

Past Lives: Photographs by Martha Casanave (1991) is a haunting and technically unique monograph that explores the blurred lines between memory, theater, and the passage of time. Published by the esteemed David R. Godine, the book is known for its exquisite production quality, mirroring the tactile, nature of the photographs themselves.

Core Themes and Technique

Narrative Tableau: Most of the other photographs are posed figures, including nude males and females, in ambiguous, timeless settings. Rather than documenting real events, Casanave creates "past lives"—imagined memories that feel as though they were pulled from a Victorian attic or a forgotten silent film.

The Pin-Hole Aesthetic: Casanave utilized a pinhole camera to create some  of these images, specifically the last chapter on Leningrad in Winter. This technique—characterized by a lack of a glass lens—results in a soft, "infinite" depth of field and a dreamlike blurring of motion. The long exposures required for pinhole photography give the subjects a ghostly, translucent quality.