K E N T U C K Y D E R B Y 1 9 8 4 : A Gonzo Flashback
Marc Karzen photographed the world surrounding the Kentucky Derby through a gritty, unvarnished, immersive lens — capturing side streets in downtown Louisville, nightclubs, street parties, the backside of Churchill Downs, and the spectacle of race day itself.
Following an encounter with Hunter S. Thompson, Karzen infused a ‘gonzo’ sensibility into a weeklong social photo essay at the Derby, exploring the cultural transformation that swept through Louisville during Derby week in the ‘80s.
Book formats:
13”x11” Collector’s Edition Blurb $184.00 and Amazon $194.00
NOTE: Blurb offers promo codes of 30% https://www.blurb.com/coupon-codes
Los Angeles available at Arcana Books Deluxe 10”x8” and Collector’s Limited Edition 13”x11” signed book with signed 8”x10” print, LINK - 8675 Washington Blvd, Culver City, CA 90232, call to reserve a copy (310)458-1499
Louisville available at Carmichael’s Books
Contact for prints: 8x10, 11x14, 13x19 mk@karzen.com
Derby Week 2026 BTS gallery of images
Editorial Review: Beyond the historic look at the topic of the essay, the photographic style used by Karzen has historic implications as well, reflecting a cultural moment in journalism. Karzen’s style has echoes of Robert Frank’s The Americans. Although the stated goal is to look at the theme of The Kentucky Derby, within that theme Karzen uses subthemes that Frank used when editing his seminal work, such as cars and restaurants, as cultural symbols along with iconic symbols of the Derby itself interspersed (such as roses and mint). With this in mind, the topic of the book is not all that should be considered; the photographers style is an important part of what makes this essay meaningful and historic. The style mirrors the topic and vis versa.