5.21.2009

Walker Evans for Fortune




We’re in the middle of commissioning a story here and like a bolt of lightning I remembered one of the most precious pieces of photographic journalism – Walker Evan’s story for Fortune magazine July 1955 on the beauties of the common tool.
There are countless essays on these photographs, its meaning and significance. I admire them for the questions they ask, who uses these tools, what are they are used for, why are they significant? These objects have been taken out of their everyday contexts - suddenly they are presented with such austerity, that they've take on a particular significance, suddenly they are special, important and beautiful. Perhaps these photographs were a metaphor for the social or economic or political class system. I suppose they could be interpreted in many number of ways - one thing that struck me was how stunning they look – something truly special I think.