A look inside Jon Rafman’s new photobook “Nine Eyes” published by New Documents

Published by New Documents, “Nine Eyes” is the continuation of Jon Rafman’s project whereby he captures images within the eyes of Goggle Street View inspired both by photojournalism and fantasizing.

“I started collecting screen captures of Google Street Views from a range of Street View blogs and through my own hunting. This essay illustrates how my Street View collections reflect the excitement of exploring this new, virtual world. The world captured by Google appears to be more truthful and more transparent because of the weight accorded to external reality, the perception of a neutral, unbiased recording, and even the vastness of the project. At the same time, I acknowledge that this way of photographing creates a cultural text like any other, a structured and structuring space whose codes and meaning the artist and the curator of the images can assist in constructing or deciphering.” –  Jon Rafman

The book features essays on the work by editor Kate Steinmann, Joanne McNeil, Sohrab Mohebbi, and Gabrielle Moser, as well as a text by the artist himself, written in collaboration with Sandra Rafman.

“Nine Eyes” is available to purchase here.

Photo Jeff Khonsary

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