Walker Evans

Exhibition Website

Sep 30 2017 - Feb 4 2018

Unprecedented in scope and scale, this major retrospective of seminal photographer Walker Evans views his work through the lens of one of his obsessions — the American vernacular, or the language of everyday life found in roadside attractions, postcards, storefronts, and signage across the country.

Over five decades, Evans’s powerful images responded to and reflected the spirit, suffering, and fortitude of a nation. His iconic images of the Great Depression and his postwar photo essays depicting shop window displays, urban architecture, and junked automobiles defined a new documentary style that continues to influence generations of artists.

SFMOMA’s exhibition — the only presentation of this retrospective in the U.S. — joins together over 300 breathtaking prints, many of which have never before been exhibited, with nearly 100 documents and objects, including many from the photographer’s personal archives. Together they reveal an exceptional eye for the details of everyday life and an essential understanding of twentieth-century America.

Credit: Exhibition overview from museum website.    

  

Whether you go or not, the exhibition catalogue, Walker Evans, celebrates his 50-year career, showcasing some of his most iconic images of 20th-century American culture. This retrospective volume traces Evans’ career through more than 300 images—from his first photographs of the late 1920s to his Polaroids of the 1970s. Organized thematically, the book examines Evans’ relationship with the impresario Lincoln Kirstein, his work in postcards and magazines, and his lifelong exploration of the American vernacular. In addition, this volume features items from the photographer’s own collection, including personal writings, signage, postcards, and other ephemera. 

Through these ancillary objects and a thorough overview of Evans’ career, readers will come away with a better understanding of a photographer whose iconic photographs remain timeless. Walker Evans was one of the most important American photographers of the 20th century. His focus on everyday life in America, in both urban and rural settings, makes him also one of the most relatable. 

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  • Photography
  • American
  • 20th Century
  • Culture / Lifestyle
  • Walker Evans

Exhibition Venues & Dates