What makes Albert Watson one of the world’s most revered photographers, hailed by peers, critics, and collectors alike? Is it his unparalleled celebrity portraits? Breathtaking landscapes? Sensual nudes, still lifes, illustrious fashion shoots?

KAOS presents a kaleidoscopic overview of Watson’s career to date and the dazzling array of subjects, objects, people, and places he has encountered along the way. It is a skillfully curated survey of a uniquely diverse, dynamic portfolio. From Watson’s breakthrough portrait of Alfred Hitchcock for the Christmas 1973 edition of Harper’s Bazaar to a 2016 shot of Kanye West, each photograph reverberates with tightly coiled power, tension, and poetry. Whether it’s a portrait of a Las Vegas dominatrix, Elvis’s gold suit, or a street scene in China, Watson excels in capturing the details seamlessly and probing its myriad depths. Along the way, his celebrity portraiture includes the likes of David Bowie, Jay Z, Mick Jagger, Michael Jackson, Jack Nicholson, Steve Jobs, and Andy Warhol.

This remarkable collection is accompanied by an essay from former head of photographs at Christie’s, Philippe Garner, extensive quotes from Watson, as well as dozens of previously unpublished Polaroids, culled from Watson’s personal archives to provide unique insight into his photographic process and evolution. The result is a defining document of the “photographer’s photographer,” iridescent in its graphic, often cinematic allure, and irresistible in its eclectic glory.

This Art Edition comes with the signed print Prince, Cleveland, 2004. After years in the commercial and critical doldrums, the late Prince was back with a smash tour and record Musicology. Watson photographed him for Rolling Stone magazine just before he went on stage in Cleveland. “He was one of those people who was explosive on stage, but in his personal life he was quite shy. But he was quite definite about what his look should be. I had built a little studio behind the stage and used a 4 x 5-inch camera,” says Watson. It’s a simple, unplugged composition of the iconic pop star, positioned right in the center of the frame, with perfect interplay between his polka dot shirt and the duotone of the image.

Art Edition (No. 151–200), with the signed print Kate Moss, Marrakech, 1993, printed by Watson in his New York studio on MOAB Entrada Rag paper and with Watson’s “Monkey with Mask” photograph stamped on the reverse in India ink.

Also available as three other Art Editions of 50 copies each, with alternative signed prints, and as a signed Collector’s Edition (No. 201–1,200).

The editor: Reuel Golden is the former editor of the British Journal of Photography and the Photography editor at TASCHEN. His TASCHEN titles include: Mick Rock: The Rise of David Bowie, both London and New York Portrait of a City books, The Rolling Stones, Her Majesty, the National Geographic editions, the David Bailey SUMO and Andy Warhol. Polaroids.

The author: Philippe Garner is an auction specialist in photographs and 20th century decorative art and design, a historian, writer, exhibition curator, and vice-president of the Helmut Newton Foundation.The artistAlbert Watson (b. 1942) born in Scotland, his striking images have appeared on more than a hundred covers of Vogue and have been featured in countless other publications, including Rolling Stone and Time. Watson has also photographed for hundreds of successful ad campaigns for companies such as Prada, Revlon, and Chanel. All the while, he has spent much of his time working on personal projects from Marrakech to Las Vegas. His breakthrough came in 1973, with a shot he still considers the most important of his career: Alfred Hitchcock holding a plucked goose.