"Edmund Teske (1911-1996) was one of the alchemists of twentieth-century American photography. Working in obscurity, over a sixty-year period he created a richly diverse body of work that explored the expressive and emotional potentials of the medium. His drive to experiment with alternative techniques, such as solarization and composite printing, liberated a younger generation of American photographers seeking to break away from established darkroom procedures. At the same time his subject matter - sometimes abstract, often frankly homoerotic, always lyrical and poetic - opened up new areas for younger photographers to explore." "Spirit into Matter is published to coincide with the first major retrospective of Teske's work. Julian Cox, the curator of the exhibition at the Getty Museum, provides an introduction and extensive biocritical essay on Teske that traces his long and varied career, from Chicago in the 1930s to his association with Frank Lloyd Wright and, in Los Angeles, with such iconic figures as filmmaker Kenneth Anger and Jim Morrison and the Doors." "Also included is a transcript of a conversation with artist George Herms, who knew Teske for more than thirty years; a chronology of Teske's life; a checklist of Teske exhibitions; and a complete bibliography."--BOOK JACKET