Roy Arden: Against the Day

Over the past two decades, Roy Arden has become one of Canada's most respected artists. Along with that of Jeff Wall, Ian Wallace, Rodney Graham and Stan Douglas, his work has contributed to Vancouver's reputation as a vital centre for contemporary photographic art. This important book looks at Arden's unique approach to photography and his investigations into modern city life.

Arden's work can be divided into three periods. From 1981 to 1985 he produced Fragments, lyrical colour portraits and urban details. The years 1985 to 1990 were dedicated to what Arden calls his meta-photography, art about photography and its history. Since 1990 he has focused on the landscape of the economy in images of the city and its never-ending transformations. This handsome catalogue includes two major scholarly texts about Arden's work along with shorter texts by six artists, curators and critics.

"Roy Arden cements Arden's reputation as a photographer, and as a major figure in Vancouver's photographic community. Two critical appraisals are supported by stunning reproductions chronicling Arden's developing style and his on-going engagement with modern city life as his primary subject."

"Whether photographing buildings, people, machinery or urban detritus, [Roy Arden] applies the sensibility of a portraitist to his evocative images."

"If your field of interest is post-conceptual photographic art, Arden's your man."