Matthew Genitempo: Jasper

An evocative photobook capturing the rugged isolation of life in the Ozark Mountains of Arkansas and Missouri

Inspired by the life and work of the poet and land surveyor Frank Stanford, these photographs of hermetic homes and men living in solitude were taken in the Ozark Mountains of Arkansas and Missouri by American photographer Matthew Genitempo. By capturing the foggy landscapes, cluttered interiors and rugged men that are tucked away in the dark woods, Jasper explores a fascination with running away from the everyday. The work bounces between fact and fiction, exhibiting the reality and myth of what it means to be truly apart from society.
Jasper is the photographer’s first major project, originally published in 2018 and now a rare book. This second edition enables old and new followers alike to delve into Genitempo’s evocative exploration of the American landscape. Produced with minimal text, the caption-free sequencing of Jasper encourages readers to wield their own imaginations and surrender themselves to the points of resonance among the photographs.
Matthew Genitempo (born 1983) is a photographer and book publisher who lives and works in Texas. His first monograph, Jasper, was short-listed for the 2018 Paris Photo/Aperture Foundation First PhotoBook Prize and awarded the Hariban Juror’s Choice Award. He published his second monograph, Mother of Dogs, in 2022. His forthcoming third monograph, Dogbreath, will be released in 2024.