Strand, Under the Dark Cloth

Although his influence on the history of photography has been nothing short of profound, Paul Strand (1890-1976) remains a curiously shrouded and paradoxical figure. While passionately devoted to humanity, he was happiest in the isolation of the dark room. A pioneer filmmaker (Manhatta, Native Land, Heart of Spain, The Wave), he found the process of collaboration painful. Strand established himself in New York in the 1920's as a master of light and structure, with his now famous photo of Wall Street inspired by the forms and movement of European modernist painters such as Matisse and Picasso. His closeup portraits and landscapes were equally profound. John Walker's Strand: Under the Dark Cloth is a documentary that is "beautifully crafted, thoroughly researched and intimately recounted" (Variety) with generous amounts of Strand's most famous photographs, clips from his films and fascinating interviews with friends and collaborators including Fred Zinnemann, Cesare Zavattini and Georgia O'Keeffle. It is a valuable and comprehensive introduction to the life and work of Paul Strand suitable for both art historians and general viewers alike.