Strange Ritual

david byrne has wonderful insight to the world surrounding him - his images are gorgeous

STRANGE RITUAL is a color-saturated photographic journey made over years by David Byrne, a musician and artist whose work may be considered on the edge but whose thoughts have a centered sense that suggests seers. First of all, try to get the hard copy of this book as it stands up to the repeated perusings it evokes from the reader/observer. A lavish photographic mélange with superimposed bits and pieces of poignant thoughts and poetic like arrangements of words, STRANGE RITUALS by the author's own admission began as a mindless activity, capturing photographs of 'religious artifacts, shop window displays, isolated structures in the landscape, hotel and airport room details, the public writing of 'lunatics', books, bungalows, performing chairs, faded signs, and spot-lit objects', all of which when viewed through his camera lens (and in retrospect) 'seem to be searching for the sacred'. 'When something makes us feel strange it often makes us feel good too...Strange = Good'. Byrne traveled the world (Ireland, India, Hong Kong, Tokyo, Germany, Portugal, Israel, Turkey, America, Mexico, Argentina, etc) capturing richly colorful images that arrest the viewer's mind and plead for explanation...at first reading. Then, after reading the author's thoughts and an interview with Creative Camera's Chris Titterington, the focus of the book changes and it becomes more an experience than a curiosity. Much of the impact of the book is due to the design of Gary Koepke and the production assistance by Sarah Caplan and Robin Weiss. The result: an endlessly fascinating trek through images that make us pause and re-evaluate our own concept of the meaning and importance of Ritual. Highly recommended. Grady Harp, November 06

Strange Rituals is just that; a study by David Byrne of how we look at the world, see the divine in the strange and take joy from it. Overall the free verse that accompaines the pictures adds to the books attraction. Some are stories, others seem meaningless. But this is David Byrne after all.... If you like his music buy it - otherwise only if your into umm... Strange Things :)