This first full-length study of Walker Evans offers insights into his artistry and a fresh look at every state of his career.

Walker Evans' photography rates amongst the best. His ability to capture a scene of everyday life and extract from it the beauty often overlooked by others is remarkable. The skill displayed in taking these photographs demonstrates why he has earned an enduring reputation as a master photographer. An inspirational must have for amateurs and professionals alike.

This is a near perfect, and very moving book. As the editor says in his introduction, Walker Evans was an ailing, elderly statesman whose best photographs were seemingly behind him when he decided to use a Polaroid SX-70 camera. The results obtained over the year or so that he photographed are startling. Here are examples of "seeing" in their purest form....the small intense prints are fading away as polaroids are apt to do, but they are exquisite and are simply the final amazing burst of creative activity of a master. The presentation here is great....one print per page, actual size and no text. Beautiful!
Please note...the book contains about 170 photos, and is 184 pages.
Recommended very highly, and "less is more".

Superficially, this book of over 120 colour plates of Walker Evans' Polaroids could be categorised as a 'novelty' piece, much like the recent 'Ansel Adams in Color,' (Harry Callaghan, ed). Adams' colour work, however, never represented much more than a curious footnote in the master craftsman's career; Adams' overwhelming importance is in how he brought breathtaking drama to his prints through his use of the zone system, and a refined, exacting, approach to the printing process.

Walker Evans, on the other hand, was almost the opposite of Adams in his approach to the finished photograph: His approach centered more on a refinement of composition, and of excising the non-essential and extraneous from his final prints. Yet, along with Adams, he shared a disdain for colour photography -- both found it to be 'garish,' 'vulgar.'

However, this work -- which represents the final chapter in Evans' artistic life -- is a radical departure from his stated aversion to colour photography. The story is equally intriguing.

As Walker Evans approached 70, divorced and in failing health, it seemed that his creative days were behind him. He had produced some images since the mid 1960s, but it became increasingly difficult for him to have to schlep around his cumbersome view camera and tripod. Quite fortuitously, though, the Polaroid corporation sent Evans its SX-70 auto-focus camera and an unlimited supply of film, hoping that the prestige of Evans' name would have help market its latest camera. Suddenly, Evans found his artistic 'second wind,' and began manically snapping up instant photographs with this simple camera he referred to affectionately as 'the toy.'

In the last two and-a-half years of his life, Evans would eventually take more than 2500 pictures with this camera. The photographs contained within are pure Walker Evans: Sometimes simple, sometimes complex, but always perfect compositions, always ruthlessly cropped within the camera. Evans commented about this camera "that nobody should touch a Polaroid until he's over sixty." Yet, viewing Evans' prints, which combines a colourful joy de vivre within the context of refined taste, it becomes obvious that anyone aspiring to the title of 'artist' or 'serious photographer' should not be permitted to advance to medium format or large format view cameras until he's mastered the art of composition with this seemingly innocuous 'toy.' Keep in mind that the photographs within are in the shape of a perfect square, a much more difficult canvas on which to let the compositional elements coalesce than the easy rectangle offered by 35mm cameras.

Many of the plates in 'Polaroids' were first published in earlier volumes, such as 'Walker Evans: The Hungry Eye' (1993) and the Metropolitan Museum of Art's 2000 retrospective, which along with this volume, was also edited by Jeff Rosenheim. The only drawback to this book, is that the photographs are printed 1:1 to the actual prints (just 3-1/8" sqaure) and are somewhat darker than in the two previous volumes, obscuring some detail. Also, the colours have also faded since the two previous volumes' release, showing just how fragile the Polaroid medium is.

Nonetheless, this volume was worth every penny I paid for it: There is such a serendipitous element of wry humour, even whimsy, that is both intimate and charming, and relate to the viewer Evans' essentially benevolent outlook on life, much of which had been brought back by this 'toy.'

Many of the photographs are purely abstract, but some are also literal in nature: Breaking down lettering in signage and from traffic markings, Evans attempted to collect a series of all the letters of the alphabet in idealised form. There are also some photos of signs that are witty puns (such as the 'IQ' isolated from a 'LIQUOR' sign) or double-entendre, such as the railway placard 'DO NOT HUMP.'

But best of all are his simple compositions of ordinary objects, such as a garden spade, a half-eaten blueberry pie, kitchen utensils, a mailbox, a dress-makers manequin and -- of course -- signs. Evans took deceptively prosaic objects, photographing them in an almost 'objective,' documentary manner, yet endowed them with his intelligent sense of selective observation. In his introduction, Rosenheim noted Evans' 1971 comment in relating Evans' aesthetic method: 'The secret of photography is, the camera takes on the character and the personality of the handler. The mind works on the machine -- through it, rather.'

In his adolesence, Walker Evans dreamed of becoming an author, a literary man of letters. He found out, however, early-on that he was better-suited to photography. But in the twilight of his years, he left the world his final chapter in the story of his life, this collection of Polaroids. These delicate, sardonic and bittersweet images more than fulfill his early aspirations, for all their visual prose and poetry.

Another beautiful collection from Walker Evans, showing his greatest photos of billboards, movie posters, newspaper headlines, theater marquees, graffiti, street signs, hand-painted shop frotns, covering 1920-1975. You will discover variety of ways to interpret the different layers of meanings from his photos with striking impression. It provides an excellent documentary about American culture. Walker Evans also collected and exhibited signs, sometimes next to his photographs, which brings his work into another level. From letters to graphics, from graphics to signs, sometimes people is becoming helpless under the mass media. Highly recommended for graphics / black and white fans.

Walker Evans SIGNS are unique and wonderful. These images glow in there black and white surroundings. Some of the images are simple and delicate and other are busy and loud...a great mixure.Codrescu's essays give you a delightful walk through of Evans life.Andrei has an original insight... description of these signs from our past.There is excitment in these essays...energy in which Evans must have had as he photographed these images.As you read on you will see Evans attraction to signs. I also enjoyed the layout of the book. The images have room to breath and the text is perfect. I was very happy to add this book with my collection of photography books.

First introduced to "Let Us Now Praise Famous Men" by James Agee and Walker Evans through a PBS Documentary, which inspired a dash to the library to read the book iteself, it wasn't until years later I went back to the library to see if anyone had ever followed up on the story. Confronted with the then new computerized "card catalog" system, I wondered how I might search for any related writings when it dawned on me what a perfect title would naturally evolve from the verse the first book title was taken: ..And Their Children After Them. Imagine my amazement when I tried that title, and there it was! Maharidge and Williamson have followed in Agee and Evans footsteps to give readers "the rest of the story" of the tenant farmers' families and grandchildren, as well as the stories of Agee and Evans themselves. I congratulation them on an excellent book, and offer thanks to the families and their descendants for sharing their lifestories. Their lives did not take the path predicted for them by Agee: life refuses to be harnessed by prediction. Some went farther than anyone could have anticipated, while others came to a place, if possible, even worse than expected. As a second generation American, descended from Polish and Prussian immigrants who lived comparable lives, but who were blessed to own their own land, I identified closely with these stories, from the first page of "Let Us Praise" to the last page of "And Their Children".

This small book is a wonderful combinaiton of beautiful photographs and historical information about the southwest. It is an outstanding book for any who want to read about the history and culture of the southwest prior to or after a trip through this gorgeous region. In addition to great photos it has writeups on the Spanish explorers, Anasasi history, pottey, historic ruins, points of interest, anglo settlements, etc. A well done book

James Mellow performs an excellent work exploring the life of Evans. The photographic documents are great. The book covers all he Work of Evans, including his travels on Mexico, Cuba and the work for the Farm Security Administration. This biography explores his primary influences in Paris and all that creates a master af the photography of the century.

signs, space, forms. These were his world and were his words. he found the special language with signs. and his language was the expression of his own world which would be woldwide. his hungry eyes saw the world through his angry intelligence with the pronteer.

'The Lost Work' refers to Walker Evans's own private collection of his B/W images - 'the prints that he chose to keep in his own print boxes for posterity'. He was probably the greatest documentary artist America has ever known. It presents the faces and lives of Americans in the late 1930s and then to the mid 1970s.

From the introduction, we can see how a photographer had struggled for his lifetime for acquiring support, and eventually his works could 'enter' museum or collectors' hand during the end of his life. Behind the images, you may have a deeper insight of this photographer. From his life, it seems very contradictory between his character and his images.

The printing of this book is excellent.

Evans does a phenomenal job of expressing what's on every right-winger's mind. Chapter after chapter he hits the nail on the head and drvies to the heart of our country's problems.

I'd refer to it as the guide to America's struggles: Liberal quest for power vs. Republicans desire for progress.

James Evans has done a good job in creating a simple, straightforward book that debunks the liberal trends in our country. He explains clearly the imaginary concepts that liberals conceive their ideals. He illustrates the roots that took shape in the 1960s that evolved into the leadership coming of age today. He exposes very well the outcomes of the law, Affirmative Action and public education. He also demonstrates common sense rules to live by that would create an orderly society. Mr. Evans was of the hippie culture of the 1960s. He later understood the irrational thinking that this liberal ideology would bring about. His book is an easy to read guide to the trends our country has been on for the past 40 years. He simply demonstrates good alternatives to develop good citizenship, self-directed responsibility, and a better community for us all.

Not only is Mr. Evans right on the money, but he does is hilariously. If you are a liberal standing on shaky, Mr. Evans is going to get you. The humor is gut wrenching, the satire thick and the message right on. Another good work from Mr. Evans.

This anthology, traces the development of an American master, opening a window to his creative process and inner life.

I was puzzled by this book when I first saw it: it seemed a strange miscellany of archival trivia with little of the unearthed treasure I had hoped to see direct from the official Evans archive. But upon reflection I can see the method to Jeff Rosenheim & Company's "madness." This is less a book to read for enjoyment - although I have found it very enjoyable - than an anthology of materials (writings, letters, photographs, collections) essential to a thorough understanding of Walker Evans, either as a photographer or as a person. It is the background material from which his life was constructed, and I cannot imagine any serious student of Evans neglecting to own it.

What did I learn from this wonderful tome? Well, for one, it really fleshes out the seeming walking contradiction that was Walker Evans: A Bohemian who really *was* poor; A man so honestly in love with the French literature of his day that he went beyond the affectations of a dilletante and made some awkward attempts at his own stories, but also came up with some excellent translations; A progressive of the left who nonetheless had no use for New Deal phoney hacks; A man of letters, culture and taste who also had a great command over four letter words in his letters to Hans Skolle and James Agee (I love the "hatred for" lists compiled by the latter two -- totally politically incorrect).

Walker Evans was a brilliant photographer, therefore was a bitter man, because he observed life so keenly; the warts took on an almost surreal dimension. Nonetheless, he could always see beyond the muck and mire, and it is his bittersweet reflections on life that have the ring of honesty, integrity and a sort of sour, cynical truth, but never "truth with a capital 'T'."

I feel after reading this collection of elusive ephemera that I now truly can begin to understand what made Walker Evans tick.
I recommend reading this while imbibing rum and Cokes or a fine Bordeaux Rouge.