How to Recognize Art by Garry Winongrand

Garry Winongrand (1928-1984) was an American photographer who was noted for capturing the street life in large American cities in the mid-20th century. He is credited for capturing much of the turmoil and social change that occurred in the 1960s through a dynamic, energetic style that is easy to recognize.

Instructions

Difficulty: Easy

1. Study Garry Winongrand's published collections of photographs, such as "Animals, Women are Beautiful, Public Relations" and "The Man in the Crowd: the Uneasy Streets of Garry Winongrand" in order to recognize the qualities that make his images noteworthy. Note how his images always involve motion and energy, generating a feel of excitement.
2. Use online resources such as the Masters of Photography and the Getty Museum websites to see more examples of Garry Winongrand's art (see Resources below). Many of these websites may also contain information about gallery or museum showings of Garry Winongrand's work.
3. Recognize the juxtapositions found in his images, where two forces or events seem to coincide--or even collide with each other spontaneously. For example, in his first collection, "Animals," Winongrand documents contrasts similarities and contrasts between animals at a zoo and the spectators watching them. This is one of Winongrand's trademarks that sets him apart from his contemporaries.
4. Concentrate on how his subjects are positioned within the composition of the frame. Often it seems that Winongrand is focusing more on where the subjects are located and the way they interact with light and space, than the subject itself. This separates Winongrand from other photojournalists of the 20th century, who focused on the emotions and experiences of the subject at that particular moment.
5. Compare Winongrand's later photography, where he gravitated toward locations such as rodeos, airports and beaches, to his early work which took place primarily on the streets of New York City. While the sense of light and space seem to have expanded, his original themes of juxtaposition remain intact in his art.

Tips & Warnings

• When Winongrand died in 1984, he left behind almost 300,000 unpublished negatives, as well as over 2,500 unprocessed rolls of film. Some of these photographic images were published posthumously in a volume titled "Figments of the Real World."

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