My Last Day at Seventeen

(Hardback)

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Description

Doug DuBois was first introduced to a group of teenagers from the Russell Heights housing estate while he was an artist-in-residence at the Sirius Arts Centre in Cobh, on the south west coast of Ireland. He was fascinated by the insular neighborhood, in which everyone seems to be someone's cousin, former girlfriend, or spouse. Little can happen there that isn't seen, discussed, distorted beyond all reason, and fiercely defended against any disapprobation from the outside. DuBois gained entry when Kevin and Erin (two participants of a workshop he taught) took him to a local hangout spot, opening his eyes to a world of not-quite-adults struggling publicly and privately through the last days of their childhood. Over the course of five years, DuBois returned to Russell Heights. People came and left, relationships formed and dissolved, and babies were born. Combining portraits, spontaneous encounters, and collaborative performances, the images in My Last Day at Seventeen exist in a delicate balance between documentary and fiction. A powerful follow-up to DuBois acclaimed first book, All the Days and Nights, this volume provides an incisive examination of the uncertainties of growing up in Ireland today, while highlighting the unique relationship sustained between artist and subject.

Author Bio

Doug Dubois received his MFA from the San Francisco Art Institute. His work has been exhibited at the Museum of Modern Art, New York; J. Paul Getty Museum, Los Angeles; and Parco Gallery, Tokyo, among other venues, and can be found in the collections of major institutions, including the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art and Victoria and Albert Museum, London. He received the 2006 John Gutman Photography Fellowship, and a 2012 Guggenheim Fellowship. Dubois is represented by Higher Pictures, New York. Patrick Lynch is a cartoonist, illustrator, and graphic designer based in Dublin. He is cofounder of the small publishing outfit Cardboard Press and a member of the Edition Book Arts group.