Doug Rickard

Several years ago, the American artist Doug Rickard attracted a great deal of attention with his much-lauded volume A New American Picture. Rickard's latest project, N.A., provides an even gloomier and more mysterious glimpse into his native land. For three years, Rickard rummaged through YouTube videos that were shot by Americans with their cell phones and posted to the Web. Rickard thus became a witness to breathtaking scenes: from apparently criminal acts to simply grotesque actions. Rickard acquired the material by clicking through the videos second by second and photographing single frames. The book, which was put together in close cooperation with the artist, is Rickard's personal hymn to America."The title,"Rickard says, "has always been N.A., short for 'National Anthem'." With his photographs, Rickard provides unobstructed views of the underbelly of American society. He touches on numerous topics, including racial issues, politics, and the increasing dangers of digital monitoring. SELLING POINTS: . A disturbing and riveting glimpse into modern American culture, from an acclaimed artist who specialises in photographing humanity's dark side . Doug Rickard's first publication, A New American Picture, was hugely popular, described as "one of the most talked about projects of 2012" (slate.com) . This, his latest project, continues to deconstruct the American Dream