Last week we talked with photographer and author, Tamara Staples, who shared her love of cocks with us. This week we wrap things up with what her books bring to her audience, her future projects and if they include more chicken photography books, as well as how she pays homage to chickens and reconciles the fact that they are both living beings as well as food. If you missed last week’s episode, you can catch up here.
Tamara Staples’ work has appeared in such publications as Harper’s Magazine, The New York Times , New York Magazine, Townand Country, National Geographic and was featured on NPR’s This American Life and CNN. She’s a fellow of the Rauschenberg Residency (2015) and a two-time recipient of the New York Foundation for the Arts Grant.
Her in-depth investigation of Pure-Bred Poultry led to the publication of The Fairest Fowl: Portraits of Championship Chickens (2001) and The Magnificent Chicken: Portraits of the Fairest Fowl (2013). Tamara’s recent project, Side Effects May Include, addresses the disconnect between mental health issues and the effects of poly-pharmacy. Side Effects May Include has been shown at the Institute of Contemporary Art San Jose, FAVA Gallery, Oberlin, Ohio and will show this year at Davis Orton Gallery in Hudson, NY and Blue Sky Gallery in Portland, Oregon.
Highlights from today’s chicken photography episode:
02:09 ~ How The Fairest Fowl and The Magnificent Chicken compare and what they bring to the reader.
07:42 ~ What went through Tamara’s mind when she attended her first poultry show with her uncle.
10:01 ~ Fascinating paint colors… named after chickens!
12:46 ~ The cock, more than just a bird; symbolism and rituals.
16:34 ~ Chicken consumption versus other meats in the USA and abroad.
20:05 ~ Is Tamara working on more chicken books?
22:14 ~ What’s in store for Tamara’s future.
26:56 ~ Paying homage to the humble chicken.
Other links mentioned by Tamara Staples:
- Fairest Fowl: Portraits of Championship Chickens
- The Magnificent Chicken: Portraits of the Fairest Fowl
- My Chickens and I by Isabella Rossellini
- The History of the Chicken
You may also enjoy Easy Backyard Chickens with Justin Rhodes.
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