Evans 1936 Greensboro AL

"Greensboro Alabama" is from Getty's Walker Evans: Before + After Exhibit ("© 2001 The J. Paul Getty Trust. All rights reserved."), and is used for educational purposes only.

This photograph called "Greensboro Alalbama", taken by Walker Evans in 1936, is in marked contrast to "Main Street, Saratoga Springs, New York". The view of Greensboro is particularized, with the people and signs giving it a specific look. In contrast, Main Street, Saratoga Springs (see below) is generic. To me, it seems to transcend time and location, and thus reaches the spiritual level.


This is not to say the Greensboro photo is any less worthy! However, it IS a distinctly different TYPE of photo, taken for a different purpose, and having a different effect, at least on this viewer (see my class essay "Evaluating Art - Main Street). I'm curious, does anyone else have any other reactions to share about these two images?