Stephen Albair is revered for his jewelry, which combines precious materials and everyday found objects into works of art that have more in common with sculpture and painting. He’s best known for his tableau photography, which integrates scavenged, discarded treasures to create elaborate scenes of mismatched harmony. His stories are often personal reflections on Albair’s past. Reflections of the struggles of growing up when no household is ever quite home. Reflections of authority figures who attempt to engender trust by demanding obedience. Reflections of relationships that are honest and open, yet dangerously fragile. And reflections on inevitability, on time’s eventual triumph, and the struggle to gaze into the eyes of loss.
I sat down with Stephen to talk about his latest book, Spectacles: A Memoir of Jewelry and Photography. We dug into a couple of the book’s entries, and talked about how both the influences of Keith Haring, as well as living in every corner of the United States, had on his work. You can always find out more about him and his work at www.stephenalbair.com. It’s well worth the visit.