Collection of the University Art Gallery, Pittsburgh, PA. Gift of Ronald Lesser. © The Estate of Garry Winogrand, courtesy Fraenkel Gallery, San Francisco
1984.6.12
Hutchinson, Kansas 1976
1976 (Date created)
1982 (Date published)
1982 (Date published)
Gelatin silver print
Photography
Prints, photographic
14 in W
x
11.125 in H
(Object)
American
Gelatin-silver print from the portfolio "Women are better than men. Not only have they survived, they do prevail" published in 1982.
Garry Winogrand is viewed as one of the great American photographers of his generation. Early in the 1960’s, he started experimenting with visual effects and introduced a snapshot aesthetic into his work, using a pre-focused wide-angle lens on his 35mm Leica camera. In this way, he created a seemingly casual approach to art photography. Although he avoided looking through the viewer of the handheld camera, and by this means rejected standard forms of composition, he often tilted the device to add energy and intensity to the scene.
In 1975, Winogrand selected pictures for a book entitled Women are Beautiful, a series of 80 photographs of women in the streets. The book did not succeed at the time of its publication: people perceived it as deviant and invasive, and women found it particularly sexist. In response to these criticisms, in 1982, Winogrand published a portfolio of 15 photographs entitled Women are better than men. Not only have they survived but they do prevail. The series juxtaposes miscellaneous pictures taken over a broad period of time, in various places in the U.S. This approach typifies Winogrand’s photography: the artist did not attach as much importance to where he shot as he did to what he shot.
Winogrand had little interest in establishing a meaning ahead of time that his photographs would subsequently communicate. His aversion to the idea of pre-existing, non-photographic meanings comes through in his statement: “I photograph to find out what something will look like photographed.” Having taken his photographs, Winogrand would then appraise them in his studio, selecting for publication or display those that appeared to offer the most exciting material for interpretation. Winogrand also wanted viewers of his images to engage in such interpretative work, claiming that photographs offered up materials for a variety of visual experiences.
- From the Exhibition "Capturing the Street" (Spring 2013)
In 1975, Winogrand selected pictures for a book entitled Women are Beautiful, a series of 80 photographs of women in the streets. The book did not succeed at the time of its publication: people perceived it as deviant and invasive, and women found it particularly sexist. In response to these criticisms, in 1982, Winogrand published a portfolio of 15 photographs entitled Women are better than men. Not only have they survived but they do prevail. The series juxtaposes miscellaneous pictures taken over a broad period of time, in various places in the U.S. This approach typifies Winogrand’s photography: the artist did not attach as much importance to where he shot as he did to what he shot.
Winogrand had little interest in establishing a meaning ahead of time that his photographs would subsequently communicate. His aversion to the idea of pre-existing, non-photographic meanings comes through in his statement: “I photograph to find out what something will look like photographed.” Having taken his photographs, Winogrand would then appraise them in his studio, selecting for publication or display those that appeared to offer the most exciting material for interpretation. Winogrand also wanted viewers of his images to engage in such interpretative work, claiming that photographs offered up materials for a variety of visual experiences.
- From the Exhibition "Capturing the Street" (Spring 2013)
In Collection
Gift of Ronald Lesser
Published by DEP editions Inc., New York
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