A portfolio of images by Matthew Spiegelman from his new artist’s book Officioné.

Image © and courtesy Matthew Spiegelman

Image © and courtesy Matthew Spiegelman

Image © and courtesy Matthew Spiegelman

Image © and courtesy Matthew Spiegelman

Image © and courtesy Matthew Spiegelman

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In Matthew Spiegelman’s new self-published artist’s book Officioné the artist directs the lens of his large-format camera onto the world of Marijuana, presenting a lucid examination of the controlled substances’ contested mythos. The close-cropped photos in Spiegelman’s book focus in on the glass pipes, smoke, clothing, and the tropical plants themselves. Clean and precise, the photos do not attempt to get to the essence of what the drug is, but rather take a knowing look at the fascinating vernacular created by its users. Officioné comes in a hand-bound edition of 10, and though the book was published in an extremely limited quantity, it also lives as a photo-animated video here.

Image © and courtesy Matthew Spiegelman