William Eggleston in B&W - Doug Rickard writes at ASX

It's more than likely that most of the readers of this blog are also readers of Doug Rickard's insightful and perceptive web-presence, ASX / AMERICAN SUBURB X / Photography & Culture.
Rickard says this about ASX: Started in 2008, AMERICAN SUBURB X / ASX is an ever-growing archive and fiercely edited look at photography’s always relevant past, rapidly shifting present and dramatically unfolding future. The mission is to provide and provoke, to educate and titillate those who are obsessed with photography, visual culture and all of the beautiful moving parts. We believe that by bringing together the intellectual and the visual in a powerful dance, ASX will foster new generations of artists, scholars, collectors, and patrons.
With over 100,000 site visitors a month and 44,000 Facebook fans, ASX brings crucial and addictive content to the worldwide lovers of this rapidly changing beast that we often call ‘photography’. If you haven't come across this site you can go there HERE, now.....

Today's post from ASX is about Eggleston's bookwork BEFORE COLOR published by Steidl in 2010. Below is Doug Rickard's final paragraph from the piece. I'm sure on reading this you will want to read the rest. And if you're not a subscriber already, become one. You can do both HERE.

Because of the “Eggleston color legacy”, one might assume that the absence of color diminishes the work and the strength of Eggleston as an artist. It does not. It is largely up to the viewer to disassociate themselves from their own deep mental ties to Eggleston and his “color”. Not an easy task, but entirely possible. I would not though say that the absence of  ”Southern” environs does not diminish Eggleston as an artist. It does. Eggleston as a “Southern artist” can’t and should not project his “South” on simply anywhere (Berlin, Moscow, Mexico City, etc). To be a “democratic” photographer (taking pictures of anything with equal merit) might suggest this approach relating also to geography but I would put forth that Eggleston is more accurately a “Southern Democratic Photographer”. There is no need then for him to show anything or anywhere else. He is the singular master of this domain.
Bravo to Steidl and Eggleston – this is a tour de force of legacy, sinful deeds and menace. Eggleston here is at his earliest and surprisingly, at an equal to him at his best.

The ASX home page, so much, so good!