Out of the Silence
By William Reid & Adelaide de Menil
$225
Hardcover and blind-debossed, Out of the Silence by William Reid, published in 1971 by Outerbridge & Dienstfrey for the Amon Carter Museum, is a photographic essay that explores the rich artistic heritage of the First Nations of the Pacific Northwest. Featuring 117 duotone photographs by Adelaide de Menil, it captures the intricate beauty of totem poles and other monumental carvings. Reid’s accompanying text offers insightful commentary that situates these works within their cultural and spiritual contexts, illuminating their role in the communal and ceremonial life of Indigenous peoples. This type of collaboration was rare for the time, as most books were either academic studies or artist catalogs, but here Bill Reid and Adelaide de Menil create a kind of dance between image and word, inviting the reader into a more emotional and visual encounter with the spirit of First Nations art and culture of the Pacific Northwest.