Lee Friedlander

I saw this show at SF Museum of Modern Art a few weeks ago and really enjoyed it. It was a large selection of his work from the 1950’s to present day. The early work is really interesting. I didn’t care for his nudes. Half of them were interesting compositions and the other half of the images had crotch shots that distracted from the interesting composition that L.F. was trying to achieve.
He mostly shot 35 mm format, then he switched to 2 ¼ square format. I don’t think his work shines as much in this square format. My favorite images in this section were from N.Y. Fashion Week.
The earlier work is also interesting because it has a historical appeal. It shows how people looked and dressed and how neighborhoods and cities appeared 40+ years ago.

Black and white photography can appear concrete, defined and confined in a flat dimension of tones between the two colors. This range may have its limitation but Friedlander accomplished a feat that enable tones to shine with warmth and emotion, brightness and contrasting effects as varied as the hues of the setting sun and uses his experience and interests – his shadow and the shadows of his subjects to invite and explore the infinite possibilities that exist in his photographs and its counterpoints.
Artists often name their work to endow it with identity but with Friedlander it also encourages an interpretation that goes beyond its title. Each photo conveys a different character – as a viewer you are drawn to examine the whole «big picture,» gazing into a maze to discover a pattern linking them together to form a solid and universal theme. Like a puzzle each part contributes to solidify the picture and without it – would only be an attempt to fulfill the potential.
In his own words his intention is to showcase the «American social landscape» classified in each decade as he approached them with contrasting analogies. His picture of the New York City, 1974, bears semblance to a Russian communist propaganda poster reflecting the grand capitalistic scale of the picture. The expansion of quality (with tighter angles and perspective) and treatment of his subjects (nude studies that stand out as grand voluptuous odalisques) were phenomenal given his tools were limited only to two types of cameras: a 35 mm Leica and graduated to a Hassleblad superwide. Character studies (white and blue collar workers and nationally renown memorial places interplay with the encroaching modernization and the obtrusive presence of advertisements (that IS everywhere). The photographs range from humor, Dog crossing in New Mexico… to the serious contemplative of the aged transient lives trudging across a scene of newly built buildings that conjures a poetic eulogy.
I might just try to use mirrors, shadows, and windows the next time I take a picture, the contrasting effect of opposing landscapes open different perspectives to looking at the world from a different eye.
PS– The exhibit embarks on a world tour see it while you can or buy one at the Fraenkel Gallery– when you can! :-)