London Street Corner c. 1958

Editor: This is Walker Evans' "London Street Corner," taken around 1958, a gelatin-silver print. It's strikingly…forlorn, I think. There’s a closed shop, broken windows… what do you see when you look at this image? Curator: I see an explicit commentary on urban decline, revealed through the meticulous recording of materials. Look at the corrugated metal of the storefront, juxtaposed with the ornate iron fence and the classical details of the gas lamp. Editor: So, it’s about the contrast? Curator: Precisely. Evans is not simply documenting a scene, but also showcasing the evolution of materials and labor. The handcrafted ironwork of a past era gives way to the mass-produced metal sheeting, reflecting a shift in both manufacturing and societal values. Editor: The ‘Shoe Repair Service’ sign also tells a story. Was it a sign painter? Was it mass produced, like the metal doors you mentioned? Curator: Exactly! Consider the labor involved in each element: the skilled craftsmanship of the original brickwork against the quickly-made utilitarian additions. What does that contrast reveal about the changing urban landscape? The broken windows...are they symbols of decay? Editor: It seems Evans wanted us to see beyond the surface, to really consider how these things are made, and what that says about the time. Thank you! Curator: It also provokes questions of value and consumption. We can reconsider how seemingly ordinary materials reflect broader cultural shifts.