Originally published in limited quantities in 1981, Ken Werner's Halloween: A Fantasy in Three Acts, has been released just in time for the spooky season!
The classic photography book features images from San Francisco’s adult Halloween celebrations between 1976 and 1980, showcasing both the elaborate costumes and the vibrant lifestyle of the era. The body of work provides a narrative of American pop culture through the lenses of 'queerness, black humor, and the macabre', acting as a vehicle for the American consciousness of the time.
Once dubbed 'The Mardi Gras of the West', the Halloween parties of San Francisco in the 1970s were infamous. Primarily organized by LGBT and sex worker advocates, the hugely popular events attracted tens of thousands of inquisitive attendees from across the nation to witness the open-air and 'often raunchy' nighttime costume parties.
These 1970s parties were before the commercialized holiday we see now when it brought with it a sense of taboo and mysticism. You may be mistaken for thinking that the photographs captured in the book were taken during one eventful evening, however, the work was captured over 5 years of Werner documenting the phenomenon.
Werner writes in the book's introduction, "The ancient rites of Halloween are celebrated today in the streets of San Francisco as they are nowhere else on earth. Other locales may have abandoned the holiday to trick-or-treating tots, but in the city of the Golden Gate, Halloween is a very adult occasion...An occasion for startling visions, a trip to the nether world".
The photographs in Halloween heighten the sense of occasion for the viewer and shine a light on an underground world. The striking black and white images used in collaboration with direct flash provide pockets of unexpected illumination to a world that is meant for the shadows.
The subjects are adorned with various forms of costume, from the whimsical to the ghastly, each worn with careful consideration to the night. Many of the subjects are aware of Werner's presence and pose for the camera, however many are not, and once the flash is fired are revealed unexpectedly with reactions as if caught in the act.
Long out of print, Halloween: A Fantasy in Three Acts has been an underground classic and a favorite among photography book collectors. The new edition has been revitalized by Anthology Editions and is available now for $40 / £32 / AU $69.43.
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