In May 1971, Artforum, bastion of late modernism, featured the work of a photographer for the very first time. On its cover and in a six-page spread, it published selections from Diane Arbus's portfolio, A box of ten photographs. In the words of the magazine's editor and photography skeptic, Philip Leider, "The portfolio changed everything . . . one could no longer deny [photography's] status as art."

Only four copies were sold, and in 1986 the Smithsonian American Art Museum, Washington, DC aquired a copy. This exceptional book replicates the nature of Diane Arbus's original and now legendary object.

Format: Hardback
Number of pages: 110
Number of images: 43
Publication date: 2018-04-15
Published by Aperture in association with the Smithsonian American Art Museum
Measurements: 11 x 14 x 0.8 inches
ISBN: 9781597114394

Diane Arbus (1923–1971) revolutionized the terms of the art she practiced, re-defining photography and establishing its place within the art world. Five volumes of her work have been published posthumously and have remained continuously in print.

John P. Jacob is the Smithsonian American Art Museum’s McEvoy Family Curator for Photography. Jacob weaves a fascinating tale of the creation, production, and continuing repercussions of this seminal work.

Available online and in-store at City Gallery Wellington. Explore our collection of jewellery, taonga, souvenirs, science-themed gifts and more from across Aotearoa New Zealand.

Diane Arbus: A box of ten photographs