[Five 35mm Film Frames: Subway Passengers, New York City: Woman Reading, Man in Hat and Shirt Sleeves, Woman with Hands to Face and Newspaper on Lap, Older Woman, Man Leaning in Doorway, Older Woman Seated Next to Man in Cap]

Walker Evans

May 27, 1938 · Film negative · Photographs

[Five 35mm Film Frames: Subway Passengers, New York City: Woman Reading, Man in Hat and Shirt Sleeves, Woman with Hands to Face and Newspaper on Lap, Older Woman, Man Leaning in Doorway, Older Woman Seated Next to Man in Cap] — Walker Evans

Between 1938 and 1941 Evans produced a remarkable series of portraits in the New York City subways. With a 35mm Contax camera strapped to his chest, its lens peeking out between two buttons of his winter coat, Evans was able to photograph his fellow passengers surreptitiously and at close range. Although the setting was public, he found that his subjects, unposed and lost in their thoughts, displayed a constantly shifting medley of moods and expressions-by turns curious, bored, amused, despondent, dreamy, and dyspeptic. "The guard is down and the mask is off," he remarked. "Even more than in lone bedrooms (where there are mirrors), people's faces are in naked repose down in the subway."

Artist: Walker Evans
Date: May 27, 1938
Medium: Film negative
Department: Photographs
Credit line: Walker Evans Archive, 1994

[Five 35mm Film Frames: Subway Passengers, New York City: Woman Reading, Man in Hat and Shirt Sleeves, Woman with Hands to Face and Newspaper on Lap, Older Woman, Man Leaning in Doorway, Older Woman Seated Next to Man in Cap]

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