American Ruins celebrates those historic places where crumbled walls and weathered facades stand in defiance of time to form a tangible link to our shared American past. Their geographical, historical and architectural diversity allow us, as Americans, to see where we came from, measure how far we have ventured, and gain a vision of where we are headed.

Arthur Drooker's 'American Ruins' is a brilliant visual meditation on our connection with the past. His luscious infrared images of forgotten places, eras, and events offer a new spiritual vision of America---one that unites the past and present, endowing memory with epic presence and power. Form perfectly complements content, and the essay by Christopher Woodward is an eloquent analog to the images. The book is a stunning achievement. - John Stauffer, Chair, History of American Civilization Harvard University, and photography critic.

Arthur Drooker has photographed historic sites throughout the United States, from windswept adobe missions to the remains of elegant mansions, to forge a spiritual connection with those who came before us. With his unique photographic style in digital infrared, Drooker captures the visual poetry of these ruins they left behind and preserves them in our collective memory. To make Drooker's project, the ruins had to meet certain criteria: they had to be part of a preservation program, have historical value and they had to represent the geographic and architectural diversity of America. American Ruins provides the exhibitor the opportunity to discuss the relevance of place, significant events that have shaped American history and the importance of preservation of our architectural sites for future generations.

The companion publication of American Ruins experienced immediate success with major book retailers such as Barnes and Noble (listed in their 2007 Gift Guide) and Amazon.com within a month of its release. It was a featured story on CBS Sunday Morning (see http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2007/11/25/sunday/main3537931.shtml, and earned a 'best book of 2007' award in General Photography from the publishing industry website, usabooknews.com.

American Ruins includes fifty 16 x 20 sepia toned infrared photographs of more than 25 historical sites. A handsome companion hard-cover publication with an essay by Christopher Woodward and forward by Douglas Brinkley,is available with the exhibition. Label copy and text panel text provided on disk.