ATHENS, GA.- The Georgia Museum of Art at the University of Georgia has received national recognition for its book “Vernacular Modernism: The Photography of Doris Ulmann.” The book was given an honorable mention in the “art” category for the Eric Hoffer Book Awards and was a finalist in the art category for the Foreword INDIES Awards.

“Vernacular Modernism” brought well-deserved attention to a relatively unknown documentary photographer. This book, which accompanied the museum’s exhibition of the same name in 2018, highlights Ulmann’s achievements and techniques and her photographic perspective on 20th-century life.

“I’m deeply gratified by these institutions’ recognition,” said Sarah Kate Gillespie, the book’s author and former curator of American art at the museum. “It is a testament to the hard work of everyone who was involved in the project, the generosity of lenders and the support of the museum’s administration.”

The Eric Hoffer Book Award for short prose and books started in the early 21st century to recognize excellence in writing. This award remembers the eponymous champion of literature and stresses the importance of publishers of every size. Since its establishment, the Hoffer has become one of the leading international book awards for small, academic and independent presses.

The Foreword INDIES Book of the Year Awards discover, review and share the best books from university and independent publishers. Foreword Magazine hosts the awards program and, this year, over 2,000 book titles were submitted for consideration. Finalists are determined by Foreword’s editorial team and included books published by Rizzoli, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Pomegranate, Prestel and Yale University Art Gallery in the art category, putting the Georgia Museum of Art on equal footing with the best in the field.

The museum is honored to have been considered a finalist for these prestigious awards. This recognition highlights the importance of university and small-scale presses in their dissemination of creative, original, and inspired books.