Jonathan Blaustein - Extinction Party series

Since 2008, at the onset of the Great Recession, photographer and conceptual artist Jonathan Blaustein has been working on art projects that investigate consumption in America, and he brings them together in one narrative in this first book, Extinction Party. In an unprecedented time of the Covid-19 pandemic, Extinction Party was (coincidentally and appropriately) released in March 2020 and named one of BuzzFeed News’ best books of 2020 . With the photo essay- the images and titles, forward essay by Kevin Kwan, and the metaphorical story in between, the book could not be a more timely commentary on the state of our Earth and humanity.

As the world grapples with the impact of climate change in the 21st Century, Blaustein’s art presents a deconstructed view of the manner in which humans churn up the planet’s resources for profit. Whether photographing food from around the world, nature harvested on his property outside Taos, NM, years worth of accumulated junk in his former studio, or party supplies from the megacorporation Party City, the consistent message is that we’re eating away at our home planet, at considerable peril to all its existing species.

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