"This image makes me laugh every time I see it. I found the book with the woman seated at a desk some time ago, but didn't have a clue as to what to do with it. I didn't find a 'mate' until I began thinking about the limited-edition print ideas for Aperture. Truth be told, I found two books — but felt the one I used had more of the spark of tension needed for the final print — two coeds schooling us on the primal art of getting noticed" - Thomas Allen

To create this image exclusively for the Aperture Limited-Edition Photograph Collection and the rest of the inventive work featured in his debut monograph Uncovered (Aperture, 2007), American artist Thomas Allen selects the pulpiest of pulp paperbacks and lovingly slices out the cover figures, gently folding them into position and constructing witty scenes around them.

Inspired by a love of the pop-up books of his childhood, Allen revels in creating his scenarios from vintage pulp fiction novels. He peruses mountains of used books, looking for just the right ones to create the most eye-catching combinations of subjects and situations. He then carefully sets up his tableaux with detailed lighting and captures them with his four-by-five-inch camera, using no digital effects whatsoever.

Allen enjoys taking on different roles in creating his scenarios: "In addition to being a photographer, I play talent scout, casting director, stage manager, lighting supervisor, and film editor." He photographs these engaging scenes in shallow focus, imparting a dreamy effect to his prints reminiscent of the View-Master stereoscopic toy that is amongst his inspirations. His work delights photography lovers, graphic designers, and bibliophiles alike.

Happily agreeing to create a special work for Aperture's Limited-Edition Photograph Collection, Allen scoured vintage books to create Suspended, a mischievous scene that suggests there is more going on in detention hall than meets the eye.

Thomas Allen was born in 1963 in Detroit, Michigan. He earned his BFA from Wayne State University in Detroit in 1991, followed by an MFA at the University of Minnesota in 1996. He received the prestigious McKnight Artist Fellowship for Photographers in 1997 and a fellowship from the Minnesota State Arts Board in 2000. A resident of Coloma, Michigan, he is represented by Foley Gallery, New York, and Barry Fine Arts, Minneapolis.

>View "Thomas Allen & Chip Kidd on Uncovered-Excerpt"