Durham, North Carolina, “Walker Evans and the American Railroad”
Evans’ work, and his documentarian/preservationist ethic, has had an influence–again, whether directly or indirectly–on the developing criticism of American railroad photography and iconography, including the writings of John Stilgoe, the programs and publications of the Center for Railroad Photography and Art, and Railroad History under the now-past editorship of Mark Reutter, who recently undertook further exploration of the work of Evans’ photographic colleague, Jack Delano. This is an impressive legacy for an artist who, despite his immense status in the history of photography, has not yet received sufficient recognition for his works focusing on the American railroad as subject.