T: A Typology of T-Shirts

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With over 200 images of t-shirt ‘messages’, T: A Typology of T-shirts looks at those individuals who stand out in a crowd through their choice of the message on their back. These photographs are not just about the T-shirt. With their combination of pictures and words these messages reveal much about the identity of the wearer. They tell us who they are, who they want to be and what they want us to know about them – their hopes, ideals, political views and personal mantras. Consequently the book is also a revealing and intriguing insight into the concerns and obsessions of our twenty-first century society. By photographing from the back, Barnett challenges the time-honoured tradition of the portrait being of the face and tests whether body type, dress and demeanour can tell us just as much as any facial expression might. Begun in 2009, the project has taken Barnett to cities and tourist spots throughout the United States and Europe to record the ever-changing messages.