Name: Ying Dai \February 18, 2017\Art 4900

Walker Evans

Walker Evans was an American photographer and photojournalist. He was best known for his work for the Farm Security Administration documenting the effects of the Great Depression. Most of his famous works were made during this period. He is an American photographer whose influence on the evolution of ambitious photography during the second half of the 20^th century was perhaps greater than that of any other figure. Walker rejected the prevailing highly aestheticized view of artistic photography, of which Alfred Stieglitz was the most visible proponent, and constructed instead an artistic strategy base on the poetic resonance of common but exemplary facts, clearly described. His most characteristic pictures show quotidian American life during the second quarter of the century, especially through the description of its vernacular architecture,  his outdoor advertising, the beginnings of its automobile culture, and its domestic interiors.In Walker Evans’s most famous works, there is no light and shadow of the magic and composition of the wonderful. His pictures at first glance, people feel amazing dull. When I see his photo, I always what he took these doing.  Evans’ style is a dull and boring style. In fact, in my opinion, this is also a lot of modern art features. We could see and feel plain, but elegant, poetic beauty in Evans’ works. It does not try to tell you anything, but you can no doubt read a lot of things in the photos.

In Walker Evans’s most famous works, there is no light and shadow of the magic and composition of the wonderful. His pictures at first glance, people feel amazing dull. When I see his photo, I always what he took these doing.  Evans’ style is a dull and boring style. In fact, in my opinion, this is also a lot of modern art features. We could see and feel plain, but elegant, poetic beauty in Evans’ works. It does not try to tell you anything, but you can no doubt read a lot of things in the photos.

In his “Subway portrait”, people are the most important elements. They are thinking, talking, reading. People are doing like us during the subway time. In this series, his photographs are usually flat from the human eye, and also have a characteristic of exposure generally partial gray. Evans calmly records the relationship between people and the surrounding environment, things, with rich details and accurate characterization of the facts present. However, the strange thing is that his record is more objective, the more has a non-he is none other personality colors. In his calm gaze, all things get a kind of beyond their own holy glory. And his documentary photography, and therefore also has a concept and record the double color.

I should learn from his works to exclude any exaggeration, touch, and distortions, and try to record the truth and the truth. Should records the truth around our environment. Arts should come from people. We should open the eyes and find out these beauties around us.

Walker Evans-Subway portrait: