worth seeing/watching: 40 yr. long documentary project about a small town

[Bob Michaels]

The Center for Documentary Studies at Duke University has a 4 minute narrated slide show as part of showing an exhibit and publishing a book about the 40 years of photographs by Paul Kwilecki documenting life in his home town of Bainbridge GA. Kwilecki was not a professional photographer but owned the local hardware store.

There are no real individual "wow" photographs. But when put together, the 40 years of photos create a compelling story.

I believe there are some lessons to be learned by watching this.

 

[Eric T]

Just watched it. Very interesting! Thanks for sharing. Makes me want to see more...

 

[it'sawhat?]

Thanks , Bob. I know what photo book I'm wanting now. Made me think of the small town in Alabama my father grew up in.

 

[Fred R.]

Now, that's beautiful work. I could have done without the narrator's speculations, but gallery/museum people have to get their two cents in there. Beautiful work.

 

[Al Patterson]

I was worried it would take 40 years to watch...

Having watched it, I'd like to see the whole collection.

 

[MIkhail]

thank you.

 

[MIkhail]

The Center for Documentary Studies at Duke University has a 4 minute narrated slide show as part of showing an exhibit and publishing a book about the 40 years of photographs by Paul Kwilecki documenting life in his home town of Bainbridge GA. Kwilecki was not a professional photographer but owned the local hardware store.

There are no real individual "wow" photographs. But when put together, the 40 years of photos create a compelling story.

I believe there are some lessons to be learned by watching this.

Reminds me of my uncle , who lives in Maine.
Many years ago he and his wife left Boston (where he was professor in Harvard university) and moved to small town of Sumner, Maine. While practicing the herbs growing and teaching in local college, he also was working as a documentary of local people. He issued several books on this subjects, still can be found on Amazon.
http://www.amazon.com/Rural-Maine-M...F8&qid=1366677731&sr=8-4&keywords=mark+silber
I show some scans here:
http://mike-steinberg.livejournal.com/35582.html
Text is in Russian but you can see pictures.
All taken with little old Leica.

 

[Colin Corneau]

Thanks for posting this...a great find.

I am intrigued by the idea of taking a sustained look at a place, or a community. I was inspired by this with the works of Fred Herzog (in Vancouver) and more precisely that of John Paskievich, who spent many years documenting the gritty blue-collar neighbourhood of immigrants known as the North End in Winnipeg, Canada.
I do the same with my small town, although I don't have nearly that long a time built up (and I'm not going to suggest I have nearly the quality either).

Look up both works, they're similarly fascinating on the same themes.

 

[charjohncarter]

This something I can get behind. We all dream of a grand project, most (including me) never just do it. My excuse is I've lived to many places and I didn't have time when the kids were young, but those are false reasons. A body of work, whether you are moving around or live in the same town for forty years, it should be something we all need to do. I wish I had done it, I'm 71 so.........

Thanks Bob.

 

[Bob Michaels]

I suspect that Kwilecki did not envision at 40 year long effort at the beginning but simply kept building on a cohesive body of work.

I am impressed at the overall power of the body of work when considered as a whole but very few images jump out at you when viewed individually.

Also note that he did not "finish" but died. That is something to think of when we believe we have completed a project.