A decade after his passing, rare and unseen photos of legendary singer Prince are being revealed in a striking new book by his longtime in-house art director at Paisley Park and award-winning photographer, Steve Parke. Titled “Prince: Black, White, Color,” the collection features more than 250 intimate images capturing the man behind the icon.
Never-before-seen photos capture Prince as fans know him best: his larger-than-life persona, while others see the multi-instrumentalist’s more personal side, with photos from his home and studio at Paisley Park, Minnesota.
Rare Photos of Prince Revealed in New Collection
Steve Parke/ACC Art BooksLegendary musician Prince is being honored in a new book, “Prince: Black, White, Color” (published by ACC Art Books), by his former in-house art director and photographer Steve Parke. Fans will get an exclusive inside look at more than 250 images of the artist, as it arrives in time to mark the 10th anniversary of his untimely passing on April 21, 2016.
According to Daily Mail, Parke, who worked with the iconic singer for over 13 years, captured photos of Prince in ways that fans have never seen before, revealing more vulnerable moments in front of the camera. Parke told the outlet that he worked around the clock to ensure the photos aligned with Prince’s vision.
Steve Parke/ACC Art BooksWorking with Prince day in and day out allowed Parke to develop a close, trusting relationship with the artist, giving him rare access to photograph the singer at his homes, including Paisley Park, the renowned studio complex in Chanhassen, Minnesota, and his residence in Marbella, Spain. The book also includes stunning portraits of the late singer.
“Because we had a day-to-day working relationship, and also I would say a friendship as well, when we did things, there wasn’t all the same kind of pressure,” Parke told the outlet.
The collection features both black-and-white images and vibrant color photographs. According to the book’s description by ACC Art Books: “These intimate photos allow readers an extremely rare glimpse of Prince at Paisley Park, at his sun-drenched house in Marbella, and at work in the studio, posing for portraits as well as moments of quiet tenderness with his first wife Mayte Garcia and their beloved dog Mia.”
Photographer Steve Parke Hopes His Book Will Introduce Prince to a New Generation of Fans
Steve Parke/ACC Art BooksSteve Parke stopped photographing Prince in 2001, though he last saw him as a regular concertgoer in Baltimore in May 2015. Prince died nearly a year later, in April 2016, at the age of 57, from an accidental fentanyl overdose at his Paisley Park home and studio in Minnesota.
During his conversation with the Daily Mail, Parke said he hopes both his photographs and Prince’s music will leave a lasting impact on a new generation of music fans.
Steve Parke/ACC Art Books“Getting to see pictures is great and knowing more about them is fantastic, but I do think that his legacy is the music. I’m someone who was lucky enough to be pulled into that legacy, so if what I did helps remind people who he is and gets them to his music, then that’s great, that’s the part I would like to see,” he shared.
Fans will no doubt be eager to get their hands on Parke’s stunning photography book “Prince: Black, White, Color,” available from Simon & Schuster on April 14.
