Paul Strand’s exhibit of a depressed and desperate world captured through a set of photographs taken during his two year stint in Mexico provided a very interesting viewing experience. There was not a single picture of a person smiling, and many pictures did not have any people at all. While this depressed and dark state is a trademark of Strands, it is significant that he shows the upset faces spanning across a number of different people. There was “Woman with Child” “Man with a hoe” and “Boy-Uruapan” among others of these very serious and upset looking people.
It is unclear as to whether Strand was trying to broadcast some greater point about these people because the pictures in the exhibit of landscapes were not sad or solemn by the same means. These pictures, while not quite beautiful, showed a open and thriving landscape that is uniquely Mexican.
All of the pictures are taken in the same faded brown duotone which also adds to the viewing effect. With this combination of colors it almost seems like there are no colors at all. They do not register because it is so earthy and plain.
Overall, the Strand exhibit does not spark a sense of enjoyment or even pleasure, but it does interest the viewer. The stern faces and the empty but culturally significant landscapes along with the shots of street murals or statues give the viewer a vivid picture of the world Strand lived in for two years. I believe that this is the intention. It is not create a sense of pity for these sad faces, it is to show that this is the life they live and this is what they do.
