William Earle Williams: Party Pictures

2020
Hardcover 
8 1/2" x 8 1/2”
92 pages, 44 black and white tritone plates
29 illustrations
Edition of 500
The Print Center, Philadelphia

Special Edition:
Book and gelatin silver print of Untitled, 1981/2020 (cover image)
Print: 8" x 8”, Edition of 20

William Earle Williams: Party Pictures is dedicated to the artist’s acclaimed series of the same name. Williams’ insightful photographs taken in the 1970s and 80s revel in the details of a particular moment and reveal the unspoken but timeless cues of class, race and gender. Williams accessed social gatherings – from highbrow charity galas to counter-culture costume parties – to probe the inner-workings of these complex social worlds. His stunning black and white photographs offer a fascinating record of an era, touching on the history of photography, the history of Philadelphia, and the societal changes of the late 20th century.