Josephine Sacabo: An Embarrassment of Riches

Josephine Sacabo: An Embarrassment of Riches by Aline SmithsonSeptember 26, 2018

©Josephine Sacabo, Structures of Reverie Book Cover, published by Luna Press

I believe in Art as a means of transcendence and connection. My images are simply what I’ve made from what I have been given. I hope they have done justice to their sources and that they will, for a moment, “stay the shadows of contentment too short lived.” (Sor Juana Inés De La Cruz)— Josephine Sacabo

To know Josephine Sacabo is to witness an artist who fully immerses herself in creativity, in all aspects of her life. Some months ago, I visited the Brooklyn Museum and enjoyed an exhibition on Georgia O’Keeffe, put together with the idea that an artist is not just defined by work they create, but their artistry shows up in the way they decorate their home, their clothing, the things they collect, and the way they live. The exhibition reminded me of Josephine–her amazing studio in New Orleans, her home in San Miguel Allende, her gold earrings, her velvet couches and beautifully painted walls, and always gracious and welcoming, then quietly stepping away to tend to her rich and mysterious work. Her photographs are at the essence of who she is and today, I am sharing an embarrassment of Josephine Sacabo riches: 3 new monographs published by Luna Press: Structures of Reverie, Lux Perpetua, and Beyond Thought and two exhibitions of her Tagged series.

In celebration of all this goodness, Josephine will have an Opening Reception & Book Launch: Thursday, October 4, 5-8pm at the A Gallery for Fine Photography, 241 Chartres Street, New Orleans, LA 70130, on view through January 12, 2019. The exhibition will be the Premier showing of her TAGGED series. On Thursday, October 11th at 7 pm, Josephine will be in Atlanta for an Artist Lecture, “You Are Now” with an opening Reception for TAGGED on Saturday, October 13th, 6-9pm at the EBD4 Art Space, on view through November 3, 2018. (Both the Artist Lecture and Opening Reception events at EBD4 are presented in part by the generous support of the Stuart A. Rose Manuscript, Archives, and Rare Book Library at Emory University).

Josephine divides her time between New Orleans and Mexico. Both places inform her work, resulting in imagery that is as dreamlike, surreal, and romantic as the places that she calls home.

Born in Laredo, Texas, in 1944, she was educated at Bard College in New York. Prior to coming to New Orleans, Sacabo lived and worked extensively in France and England. Her earlier work was in the photo-journalistic tradition and influenced by Robert Frank, Josef Koudelka, and Henri Cartier-Bresson. She now works in a very subjective, introspective style, using poetry as the genesis for her work. Her many portfolios are visual manifestations of the written word, and she lists poets as her most important influences, including Rilke, Baudelaire, Pedro Salinas, Vincente Huiobro, and Juan Rulfo, Mallarmé, and Sor Juana Ines de la Cruz. Her images transfer the viewer into a world of constructed beauty.

During her 36 year career her work has been featured in over 40 gallery and museum exhibitions in the U.S., Europe and Mexico. She has been the recipient of multiple awards and is included in the permanent collections of the George Eastman House, New Orleans Museum of Art, the International Center of Photography, the Metropolitan Museum of Art and la Bibliothéque Nationale, Paris, France.

STRUCTURES OF REVERIE

©Josephine Sacabo, Structures of Reverie Book, published by Luna Press

©Josephine Sacabo, Structures of Reverie Book Spread, published by Luna Press

©Josephine Sacabo, Structures of Reverie Book Spread, published by Luna Press

©Josephine Sacabo, Structures of Reverie Book Spread, published by Luna Press

©Josephine Sacabo, Structures of Reverie Book Spread, published by Luna Press

©Josephine Sacabo, Structures of Reverie Book Spread, published by Luna Press

©Josephine Sacabo, Structures of Reverie Back Cover, published by Luna Press

This luxury limited edition book is presented in a blue mohair box designed and built by Small Editions. The book is entirely handcrafted from the binding to the letterpress and hand-pulled photogravure images printed on handmade Japanese Mura Udaban paper. Signed & numbered limited edition of 7. All books available through Luna Press.

Structures of Reverie Artist Statement

This is the story of a woman who invents her freedom by creating an imaginary architecture made of light, scraps of memory, hopes, and dreams – a permeable architecture where nothing is confined.

It is dedicated to Juana La Loca, the supposed “mad” queen of Spain in the 16^th century who for political motives was imprisoned for 46 years by her father, husband, and son in an architecture of darkness and stone. – Josephine Sacabo

LUX PERPETUA