I would first and foremost like to disclose the fact that I am in no way an art expert. I know very little about art interpretation, and I do not find pleasure in searching for the endless meaning that can be buried in a piece of artwork. I am however an admirer of people, I look at every person in hopes of seeing what is in their soul. I was able to do just that while visiting the Walker Evens exhibit "Let Us Now Praise Famous Men". The beauty that I found there was breathtaking. While listening to the lecture given by Baldwin Lee, I sat on the floor in the midst of what felt like a book of American history made up of no words but only pictures. Baldwin Lee quoted Walker Evens as saying "Looking is harder than it looks", which I'm sure was in reference of how he framed a picture with his lens, but to me meant so much more. To me this quote made me realize that some people do not have the capability of looking upon others with an empathetic eye, they can not sense despair in their fellow man.
The photos in the exhibit were extremely invasive. The men and women had worry in their brow. The pictures were so real that tears were brought to my eyes. The children in the photographs showed a sad innocence in their eyes, but their faces were full of hope and promise. The pictures captured perfectly a quote made by James Agee; Walker Evans' partner in this particular project. "In every child born, under no matter circumstances the potentiality of the human race is born again. And in him too and in each of us our terrific responsibility toward human life."
Time and torture create an art, not as pristine, precise or perfect as the new and un-weathered but an art with character, charm and charisma. I was deeply moved by the experience with "Let Us Now Praise Famous Men". Often we read something, hear something or even say something and it is quickly disregarded or forgotten, but if we see it and I mean really see it, it is forever burned as truth in our minds, hearts and souls.
Stace Williams