Friday 4 October 2013

William Eggelston

Following my work on assignment 3 where I learnt to use colours in different ways to compose a photograph, I have subsequently looked more deeply in to the work of William Eggelston. 

I briefly looked at some of Egglestons work shortly after visiting an exhibition of Peter Fraser's work at the Tate, St Ives in March 2013. Fraser had visited Eggelston in the states for a three week period early in his career and had influence on his use of bold colours in his work. 

William Eggleston was born in Memphis, Tennessee, USA in 1939 and from a very early age had an interest in the visual arts. His early photographic work was influenced by the Swiss photographer, Robert Frank and Henri Cartier-Bresson's book, The Decisive Moment
Eggleston's early work was in black and white, just like Cartieri-Bresson, but then started experimenting with colour, after being introduced to this style by William Christenberry.  

In 1974, Eggleston produced his first portfolio, named 14 Pictures which was a few years later exhibited at the Museum of Modern Art in New York (MoMA). This was seen as a big step in the history of photography, as colour photography was now being exhibited and accepted at such an institution as the MoMA. 


A photograph from the 14 Pictures portfolio, shows the rich colours that would go on to characterise Egglestone's work.

The colour accent within this image, the rusty sign, draws the viewer deep into the image whereby they then explore the rest of the image, the textures in the foliage and bark of the trees. 

The question, what does or should I say, what did the sign say?






William Eggelston 1974, 14 pictures


Whilst reviewing his work, I was surprised to read that most, if not all of his photographs are taken in and around Memphis, Tennessee, his home town. Which made me think that whenever we look at photographs from the past, we get a sense of nostalgia, and often think 'wish I lived in the 1960's everything looked so much interesting and photogenic then'

This is a fallacy I need to re address, I'm sure that people living in the 1960's, the everyday items and places around them looked boring. We live in an age now of iPhones, ugly buildings and the like. However I am sure that in 50 years from now, people will be fascinated by the photographs we take today. 


Most of Eggleston's photographs are taken either early in the morning or later in the afternoon, as to capture the richer colours at these times of the day. 





William Eggelston, 1980 Troubled Waters


The Tate modern in London have a exhibition of Eggleston's work in The Richard B & Jeanne Donovan Fisher Gallery until 11th May 2014. This is an exhibition I must go and see for myself soon. I am now a real fan of his work, I love the way he finds beauty in the mundane, his sharp eye for finding fascinating colour combinations. Most of his work doesn't have people in them, which is not a bad thing, I think photographs are even more interesting without them sometimes. 

http://www.tate.org.uk/whats-on/tate-modern/display/william-eggleston

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