Nancy Baron returns to the desert for Palm Springs > The Good Life Goes On, published recently by Kehrer. The book is her second documenting the town famous for its glamorous 1950s and ’60s architecture, and the lifestyle it inspires—The Good Life > Palm Springs was published by Kehrer in 2014. Baron, a part time resident of Palm Springs, celebrates both the kitsch and the sophistication of the place—there’s a Santa lawn elf along with a Mark Rothko painting (or, perhaps, a copy of one), as well as palm trees, swimming pools, vintage cars and plenty of clean-lined mid-century architecture.
Baron describes her project as “resident-documenting, with a positive bias,” and indeed, when the young and old residents show up, dipping a toe in the pool or posing with their little dogs, everyone seems to be enjoying themselves in a bit of make-believe. Writes Baron, “Their homes, cars, and clothes pay homage to a carefree post-World War II time in U.S. history that glows warmly in their vintage rear-view mirrors. Regardless of their first-hand knowledge of 1950s and sixties America, these Palm Springs modernists find comfort in the reenactment of gentler times.” On November 9, Baron will talk about her project with Nathan Crowley, and sign books at Rizzoli Bookstore in New York City.
Related Stories:
Palm Springs: A Desert Oasis
The Recession’s Aftermath in the California Desert
Ty Coles’ Photos Offer a New Look at London’s Brutalist Buildings
