Walker Evans

A major reassessment of Walker Evans that shows him as a photographer both of his time and very much ahead of it.

Walker Evans (1903–1975) is one of the great enduring figures of modern photography. His vivid images are inseparable from the history of the medium and the history of the USA. The subject matter was quintessentially American – small-town life, typical buildings, commercial signs and anonymous citizens – but Evans brought to them the curiosity and fascination of an outsider. His exacting eye defined an era while also questioning it. Pop artists and Conceptualists saw Evans as a pioneer and precursor, and his sensibility continues to inspire countless younger image makers.

Walker Evans offers a broad overview of his work and its lasting influence on generations of artists. It brings together key photographs and projects spanning his entire career – from self-portraits of the 1920s to his Polaroid experiments in the 1970s – along with books and other publications that reflect his tireless capacity for observation. Together, the works reveal a creator who not only documented the world around him but also invited viewers to question the nature of photography and the perception of reality itself.

About the Author

David Campany is Creative Director of the International Center of Photography, New York, and a prolific writer on photography. Thames & Hudson has published several of his books, including On Photographs and William Klein, and he has contributed to many others.