AmagisterialstudyofcelebratedphotographerWalkerEvansWalkerEvans(1903-75)wasagreatAmericanartistphotographingpeopleandplacesintheUnitedStatesinunforgettableways.HeisknownforhisworkfortheFarmSecurityAdministration,addressingtheGreatDepression,butwhatheactuallysawwasthediversityofpeopleandthedamageofthelongCivilWar.InWalkerEvans,renownedarthistorianSvetlanaAlpersexploreshowEvansmadehisdistinctivephotographs.DelvingintoalavishselectionofEvans’swork,Alpersuncoversrichparallelsbetweenhiscreativeapproachandthoseofnumerousliteraryandculturalfigures,locatingEvanswithinthewidecontextofatrulyinternationalcircle.AlpersdemonstratesthatEvans’spracticereliedonhiscamerachoicesandwillingnesstoeditmultipleversionsofashot,aswellashiskeeneyeandhisdistantstraight-onviewofvisualobjects.IllustratingthevitalroleofEvans’sdualloveoftextandimages,Alpersplaceshiswritingsinconversationwithhisphotographs.Shebringshistechniquesintodialoguewiththeworkofaglobalcastofimportantartists--fromFlaubertandBaudelairetoElizabethBishopandWilliamFaulkner--underscoringhowEvans’stravelsabroadinsuchplacesasFranceandCuba,alongwithhisexpansiveliteraryandartistictastes,informedhisquintessentiallyAmericanphotographicstyle.Amagisterialaccountofagreattwentieth-centuryartist,WalkerEvansurgesustolookanewattheactofseeingtheworld--toreconsiderhowEvanssawhissubjects,howhesawhisphotographs,andhowwecanseehisimagesasifforthefirsttime.
