English photographer Julian Hibbard offers an adult take on the alphabet book in The Noir A-Z. Replacing whimsical sketches of kids in letter shape with provocative pairings of word and image, Hibbard has concocted a dark and voyeuristic vision. An element of risqué and danger consumes each letter, tying the images into a loose narrative.
The images are sexy. They are also just complex enough to pull emotional strings through an easily read composition. O for 'observed', for example, seduces the reader into spying on an innocent woman. In many of the images Hibbard manages to tie the reader to the scene as active participant and not simply observer. That, in part, is the art of Noir A-Z. And, in full, the fun of the book.
Hibbard's work has been in exhibited in London, Scotland, Santiago de Chile, New York and Los Angeles. He has been honored at the 2008 International Photography Awards and was given an ASME Award in 2007. The Noir A-Z is published by Mark Batty Publisher.
Nick Schonberger
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