Atget and Friedlander -- The Princeton Exhibit

Atget

The combination of photographers Eugene Atget and Lee Friedlander is not an obvious one. They worked during quite different eras, used substantially different equipment, and had decidedly distinct temperaments. Yet, a current exhibit at the Princeton University Art Museum combines the work of both photographers in an attempt to make the whole more articulate than the parts. Fortunately, one doesn't have to buy the curator's strained premise to enjoy the works in the excellent, compact show.

One delightful aspect of the exhibit is the museum itself, housed on Princeton University's campus. The  uncrowded space allows for relaxed contemplation of the displayed works. Annoying devices providing podcasts or other recorded information are blissfully absent. The free admission removes the anxiety of "getting one's money's worth."

I'll let the Atget image and the Friedlander photograph, each of which appear in the Princeton exhibit, speak for themselves.

Lee Friedlander: New Orleans, 1969
copyright: Lee Friedlander