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Stony Point, New York
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Akron, Ohio
Lee Friedlander: Man in the Shadows
A Washington state born photographer, Lee Friedlander, who was born in Aberdeen in 1934, has made his mark in the portraiture of the everyday culture of the American working class. He works in mainly black and white photography which reflected his upbringing in a coastal town where it was rainy and dreary. He later moved to New York where he married and had two children.
He photographed the everyday social landscape of America. This was reflected by showing who they were by what they made and that revealed who they were. The true character of the American people can be examined by looking at the cities and towns just as well as by examining portraiture. He shows the evolution of the American dream and how some people are still fighting to preserve the ways of yesterday.
Friedlander also shows the landscape around the portraits of the people he loves. He ties that in by intermixing the surroundings of their environment to the people themselves. A picture of a train bringing materials to the town where people live, a tree growing out of the foreground of their houses, a wire fence with his shadow discretely in the corner, showing himself yet not being visible directly, he is the shadow of the America he photographs.
He shows the contrast of the reality of everyday life compared to the dream life of what the American advertisers would like us to believe we all want it to be. He presents this by showing both together--the reality and the make believe. This too is part of the working man's culture. He presents his portraitures with humor and sadness at the same time, again showing the contrast of everyday life. The struggle is also depicted in the old versus the new and changing America.
Even with the struggles that Friedlander portrays he also shows that the American spirit will prevail. The character of the strong working man is there in all of us.
Prompts
- Was there anything that was unclear about my presentation or could be elaborated on more?
- Discuss which “social landscape” you identify with and explore the idea that what you do and produce in life reflects who you are.
- How has the American dream shifted in your opinion? Is America still based off of a core value of hard work and fulfillment or has the evolution to pop culture changed this?
- Why does Friedlander include himself in the shadows in some of his pictures?
- Look at any of Friedlander’s photos posted on the blog and describe how they represent American people and their character.
