Walker Evans was an American photographer best known for his documentation of the effects of the Great Depression. Evans was born in St. Louis, Missouri on November 3, 1903. He began is journey as a photographer in 1928. Some of Evans most famous work was done while working for the Farm Security Administration in the Southern United States. In 1936, Fortune magazine sent Evans and writer James Agee to document life in Hale County, Alabama. Regrettably, Fortune magazine never ran the story. However, Evans and Agee created a masterpiece, “Let Us Now Praise Famous Men.”
Walker Evans documented three families in the town of Akron, Alabama. The families were headed by Bud Fields, Floyd Burroughs, and Frank Tingle. Southern hospitality was ever present as Evans was welcomed into their homes. Many photographs taken in the Southern United States were reflections of photographs taken elsewhere. Evans was careful to include exquisite detail in all of his photographs. Lee was a excellent source for understanding how Evans' looking ability was better than that average person's looking ability.
Fortune magazine revisited Hale County in September of 2005. Interviews were conducted with the families and angry feelings were expressed. Evans did not send the families a copy of his book and he had no desire to see the families or their descendants, according to Lee.
The University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire’s Foster gallery is currently exhibiting the work of Walker Evans. Baldwin Lee, Evans’ former dark room assistant, graced us with his presence and shared his invaluable knowledge concerning Walker Evans.
After examining the work of Walker Evans, I understood what Lee discussed regarding Evans’ concept of “looking being harder than it looks.” Evans’ photographs require the viewer to possess historical knowledge pertinent to the South and the Great Depression. The photographs tell a story and retell history as it was experienced.
Sources: http://www.biographybase.com/biography/Evans_Walker.html
Zach Reiland
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