The Shadow Knows by Lee Friedlander
Review by Michael Ernest Sweet
The Shadow Knows, a new collection of work by Lee Friedlander, is one of those books of photography that makes you say, out loud, “Gee, if only I had thought of this!” Put another way, it’s a damn good book of photography. Friedlander, an American photographer, has been producing fantastic and original photography for a very long time. He began earning pocket-money from photography when he was just fourteen, which would have been in 1948. However, it was during the 1960s when Friedlander came into his own and garnered attention from those who matter, like Nathan Lyons, who was the curator at the George Eastman House. This new volume, from SPQR Editions, features Friedlander’s “shadow” photographs, which span virtually his entire professional career. The earliest is dated 1963 and others are dated as recently as 2011. One could, I suppose, rush out and make such a collection in a week, perhaps even a weekend, but it would show – the images would be almost certainly trite. The quality of these images is a testament to the immense time invested in collecting them.
There are many things that I love about this book. I will discuss a few in turn and, be warned, will offer little negative criticism – there is, simply put, little to find. One of the immediate benefits this book delivers is the ability to draw in viewers and insist that they “read” the photographs. With every image, one finds themself carefully examining each photo from left to right, top to bottom – we, the viewer, delving deeply to dissect the interplay between the shadow and the backdrop. It is nearly impossible to merely “look” or “glimpse” at these photographs. You cannot see them in this way – the way far too many images today are viewed – and, because of this wonderful quality, Friedlander has achieved no mean feat in producing this collection. In many cases, the background elements, this ephemera, is as fundamental to the image as the cameo, in shadow form, of Friedlander himself. One without the other is, well, not as effective as a photograph. It is this whimsical assemblage of the two elements, in concert, that makes the art in these pictures.
Another aspect of this work that jumps out at me is the very pleasant sense of humor, coupled with keen intellectualism – a lot is being said in these pictures. Although Friedander’s formal schooling is not all that extensive, his images, in many of his collections, exude an intellectual curiosity and awareness of the world and its cultures. Friedlander’s influences – such as the likes of Robert Frank and Walker Evans – are also highly visible in his work. Some may argue that this kind of “reading into” the work is unnecessary, at best, and snobby, at worst, but I would still defend it as an element that gives this work strength and longevity – hallmarks of master photography. Looked at another way, many photographers can make a photo of their shadow in front of a storefront or atop a pile of stones, but not many can do so in a way where the end product immediately takes on a timelessness.
Lee Friedlander is a great example of a photographer who kept on doing his own thing, despite any criticism of professional shortfalls. Friedlander kept on being Friedlander. This is a rare thing, too, as many who experience disappointment change direction or quit photography altogether. Yet, this relentlessness, which spanned more than seven decades (and still goes on today) has paid off for Friedlander. His work is in many acclaimed galleries and museums and he is considered a master photographer of his age. Lee is a fan of working; taking photos and making prints, not of publicity and marketing. Interviews with him are rare and, as a result, his name has remained “under the radar” in a lot of respects. Simply put, he just carries on the great tradition of photography.
Copyright ⓒ Lee Friedlander
Copyright ⓒ Lee Friedlander
Copyright ⓒ Lee Friedlander
Lee Friedlander is one of the grandfathers of what became known as the “snapshot aesthetic”, which has become so prominent in our photographic culture (and visual language) in the 21st century. He is right there, in this regard, with the likes of Daido Moriyama, Mark Cohen, William Eggleston (color dragged color into the same arena), and, dare I say, with some of the more controversial (and more contemporary) figures like Terry Richardson. That is to say, these guys point and shoot and keep the technical gear and manipulation to a minimum. The power in Friedlander’s images (as in the others that I have mentioned here) is in the subject matter, in the composition – not in the technical handling or the editing. And this is huge. Anyone can learn to manipulate images into something “visually pleasing”, but it is another story altogether to take a basic piece of equipment out into the world and “snap” a photograph that can compete in the same arena. Those who can do the latter are true photographers and Lee Friedlander is one of them. I also want to mention the street photography angle here, too. Friedlander is often grouped with street photographers, and, in many ways, rightly so. He is a street photographer, but he is one of those rare street photographers whose work takes on a quality that transcends the genre and becomes fine art.
There isn’t much to complain about when it comes to this collection of work or this book. It is, simply put, done well, darn well. One gripe, which is admittedly very small, but still gets under my skin – is the single page within the volume that features two photographs. Every other page, without exception, is a single image. Why put two on one page? Sure, the images are related, however, they are also two of my least favorite images in the collection. They are not bad photos, by any means, but they feel as though they belong to a different body of work. At the very least, I would have preferred the two photos on a spread (opposite each other), as this would have provided a cleaner aesthetic. Yet, as far as negative criticism goes, this is about as much as I can muster from this splendid volume.
SPQR Editions has done a fantastic job with this collection. The book and its prints are of high quality and would make a great addition to any street photographer’s library. I must say, if I could only have one Lee Friedlander book it would have to be The Little Screens (which is now in an affordable reprint from Afterall Books), but this volume would be a very close second. And why not have both? If you don’t know Lee Friedlander and his work, I excuse you, somewhat, as the hype is just not there. Yet, if you read this review and still don’t go out and explore and discover this wonderful photographer, you will have little excuse.
The Shadow Knows by Lee Friedlander
From SPQR Editions
Hardcover, 110 pages, 27.9 x 1.5 x 24.5 cm, £42.
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