The Thousands

Joseph Szabo is responsible for one of the most memorable images of the ‘90s, used to great effect on the cover of Dinosaur Jr.’s Green Mind album. Aside from the disturbing fact it’s of a kid smoking, the shot has that removed-but-right-in-the-middle-of-things feel that an entire movement of photographers are trying too hard to pull off to this day. Thing is, that photo was taken over thirty years ago. Talk about ahead of the game.

This is a lush new book of Szabo’s black and white photographs, of folk lazing around on Jones Beach in New York’s Long Island in the ‘70s. Like his other series (Almost Grown, Teenage, Rolling Stones Fans), the subjects are absorbed in the act of ‘doing nothing’ – resolutely lazing around, in various states of undress, ‘cos that’s what you do at the beach. Of course, part of the attraction of Jones Beach is ogling the bodies, but it’s not like it’s a swimsuit calendar or even a Do’s and Don’ts page. These images are celebratory, of real people, glorious and cool.