Walker Evans: No Politics by Stephanie Schwartz. Published by University of Texas Press.
Something positive from 2020? Not being overwhelmed by the avalanche of new books encountered at fairs has meant more time to read. Stephanie Schwartz’s book would stand out even in the usual deluge. It is a timely and insightful analysis of documentary photography through the complexities of Walker Evans’ refusal to work politically. Schwartz illuminates numerous aspects of Evans’ life and practice, including detailed studies of certain of his photobooks. In an era in which questions of representation and ‘making history’ are fundamental to our understanding of the world around us, this book is essential reading.
Michael Mack is the publisher at MACK, a London-based art book publisher.
www.mackbooks.co.uk