Nightmares of Halloween Past - by Gary Baseman (Hardcover)

Book Synopsis

An opportunity to share a sold-out, limited-run photographic tribute to one of America's favorite holidays with a wider audience.

As a child, Halloween was acclaimed artist Gary Baseman's favorite holiday--an extension of his love of otherworldly monsters and characters on TV and film. In the 1990s, he started his collection of more than 2,000 dark, playful, surreal vintage photographs of people in masks and costumes. Gathered primarily at flea markets, these images, taken by unknown photographers, represent intimate tributes to Halloween and American legacy. The photographs have long inspired Baseman to create not just paintings, but scores of costumes and masks of his own that he has used for photography, video, and performance art.

The photos compiled here speak a thousand words and inspire a thousand more questions. What might ?rst appear scary will soon become endearing when you realize that the people under the ghoulish masks and macabre costumes are smiling and having fun. The combination of nightmares, childhood memories, and odd beauty found in these photos also makes each one a mesmerizing work of found art

SPOOKY GIFT: This dark "family album" collects 300+ photographs of vintage photography plus 15 of the author's Halloween-inspired signature paintings.

LYRICAL ESSAYS: In addition to Gary Baseman's personal essays about his collection and his love of monsters and Halloween, artist Phyllis Galembo and scholar Catherine Zuromskis contribute essays about the history of Halloween costumes and photography.

About the Author

Gary Baseman?is an interdisciplinary artist who investigates history, heritage, and the human condition. Through unique iconography and fantastical visual narratives, his work brings together the worlds of popular culture and fine art. Recent projects include collaborations with Mattel, COACH, and Dr. Martens. Baseman's fine art has been exhibited in museums and galleries throughout the United States, as well as in Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Israel, Italy, Mexico, New Zealand, the Philippines, Russia, Spain, Taiwan, Thailand, and the United Kingdom. Baseman's multifaceted career includes illustration for clients including?The Atlantic, ?The New Yorker, ?The New York Times, ?Rolling Stone, ?TIME, and?The Wall Street Journal?and the bestselling board game Cranium. Baseman is the creator and executive producer of Teacher's Pet (ABC/Disney), a multiple Emmy and BAFTA award-winning animation series and feature film. He is a frequent speaker at international conferences on graphic and multidisciplinary arts and visual communications.