Photo of the Week #379

December 8, 2025
This vintage print feels timely and compelling still today, thanks to its powerful alloy of contrasting elements. The destitute lot in what is likely Chicago's South Side is counterbalanced by the group of children, clustered together like optimistic wildflowers sprouting in the dirt. The hand painted sign behind them appears freshly maintained, and thus speaks to the resilience of community.

Walker Evans’ work for Fortune Magazine was distinct from how magazine work is often thought of today—he crafted his own photo essays, from his story pitches down to the design and the captions for his features, earning him his longstanding title as Special Photographic Editor. Fortune was conceived of as a highly visual financial magazine, and its launch amidst the Great Depression resulted in a publication with a strong social viewpoint. The 1930s and 40s were a heady time for photojournalistic work in magazines, as both the popularity and ambition of the format reached new heights. Evans in particular set a high bar, and his work was distinguished from more polemic photographers of the day, in the way that his measured and deliberate approach to photography avoided proselytizing, in favor of an invitation to slow down and contemplate the many faces of America.