"Published to coincide with an exhibition at the Getty Museum,
Spirit into Matter is the first full-length study of
Edmund Teske (1911-1996), one of the
alchemists of 20th century American photography.
Working in obscurity, over a sixty-year period
Teske created a richly diverse body of work that explored
the expressive and emotional potentials of the medium.
His drive to experiment with alternative techniques
such as solarization and composite printing,
liberated a younger generation of American photographers
seeking to break away from established darkroom procedures.
At the same time his subject matter—sometimes abstract, often frankly
homoerotic, always lyrical and poetic—opened up
new areas for younger photographers to explore."
Getty Museum
2004
