Richard Sharum - Spina Americana - Bildersturm Blog

Richard Sharum: Spina Americana

About The Book

Driven by both national and personal anxiety about the current divisions in the US, photographer Richard Sharum embarked on a journey through the central ‘spine’ of America. Focusing on a 100 mile-wide corridor down the geographic center of the US encompassing parts of the Dakotas, Kansas, Nebraska, Oklahoma and Texas – an area often dismissed as ‘flyover’ country -Sharum spoke to more than 4000 people and took over 14000 photographs.

A wide range of people and cultures inhabit this ‘spine’ of America including Mennonites, Lutherans, Indigenous Americans, Mexican-Americans, farmers with German, Scandinavian or Ukrainian roots and a myriad of others. Publisher’s Info

Video: Spina Americana Launch Video

Gallery 01

Richard Sharum - Spina Americana - Bildersturm Blog
Ice Fisherman with Fresh Northern Pike. Hemand, North Dakota. March 2, 2022 © Richard Sharum
Richard Sharum - Spina Americana - Bildersturm Blog
Young Dancer with Money. Kongo Klub. Mitchell, South Dakota. September 3, 2022 © Richard Sharum

About The Artist

Richard Sharum is an editorial and documentary photographer based in the Dallas, Texas area.  Mainly focusing on socio-economic or social justice dilemmas concerning the human condition, his work has been regarded as in-depth, up-close and personal. Selected exhibitions have occurred in Kyoto, Japan, Sao Paulo, Brazil, Reggio Emilia, Italy, New York, Boston, Chicago and Dallas. Richard Sharum is represented by The Hulett Collection, Tulsa, Oklahoma.

Gallery 02

Richard Sharum - Spina Americana - Bildersturm Blog
Storm Chaser. Burlington, Oklahoma. May 15, 2022 © Richard Sharum
Richard Sharum - Spina Americana - Bildersturm Blog
Mennonite Sisters. Partridge, Kansas. June 20, 2021© Richard Sharum
Richard Sharum - Spina Americana - Bildersturm Blog
Two Sisters and a Cousin. Macksville, Kansas. June 19, 2021 © Richard Sharum

Gallery 03

Richard Sharum - Spina Americana - Bildersturm Blog
Isolation Cell. JRCC. Jamestown, North Dakota. March 4, 2022 © Richard Sharum
Richard Sharum - Spina Americana - Bildersturm Blog
Two Highschool Baseball Players at Practice. Tolar, Texas. March 3, 2021 © Richard Sharum

About The Publisher

Founded in 2012, GOST Books is an independent visual arts and photography publisher based in London.

Gallery 04

Richard Sharum - Spina Americana - Bildersturm Blog
Cotton Candy Vendor. Lake Andes, South Dakota.June 3, 2023 © Richard Sharum
Richard Sharum - Spina Americana - Bildersturm Blog
Bowler. O’Neill, Nebraska. December 16, 2021 © Richard Sharum

Specifics

Richard Sharum: Spina Americana (Gost Books, 2024). Includes texts by Bill Shapiro and April M Watson. It is the first in a series of books – collectively titled Of Thee I Sing – by Sharum focused on contemporary America. 305 x 225mm, Portrait, 208 pages, 113 images. Link.

Richard Sharum - Spina Americana - Bildersturm Blog