Watkins, Bob - New York City 1980-2005

Regular price $12.00

Bob Watkins.
New York City 1980-2005.

Southport, United Kingdom: Cafe Royal Books, 2021. 
Staple-bound softcover. 
36 pages. 
Black & White. 

The majority of these pictures are from my first visit to New York in August 1980 when both the city and myself were out of money and there was a sense of danger on every corner. Emerging from the subway onto Fifth Avenue for the first time I was assaulted by the humidity, stench and magnitude of that canyon. It was like stepping into Springsteen's Born to Run album for real. Garbage and broken people filled the streets as I walked the same sidewalks as my photographic heroes and drank Dr Pepper to replace the sweat.

Democratic Convention rallies and Iranian hostage demonstrations added extra visual opportunities but really the unpredictability of those streets is what I remember the best. Anything could happen and sometimes it did.

Café Royal Books (founded 2005) is an independent
publisher based in Southport, England.
Originally set up as a way to disseminate art,
in multiple, affordably, quickly, and internationally
while not relying on 'the gallery'.

Café Royal Books publishes artist's books and zines
as well as a weekly series of photobook/zines.
The photographic publications are part of a long
ongoing series, generally working with photographers
and their archives, to publish work, which usually falls
into 1970–2000 UK documentary / reportage.