Stephen Shore has published a whopping 25 monographs over his five-decade career, but American Surfaces—captured on a road trip from New York to Amarillo, Texas, in 1972 and ’73—might be his magnum opus. The series, which comprises some 320 stills of the meals Shore ate on the drive, is an inquiry into America’s soul—probing the heartland by way of its stomach. The road trip may be over, but Shore’s work is not done.
Just over a half-century later, the photographer has found himself returning to American Surfaces—digging through boxes of 35 mm film and digitizing forgotten shots. It’s a mammoth undertaking for any artist, let alone one so prolific and impactful. For this issue, the photographer shares his favorite unseen frames, a tantalizing array of culinary delights.
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