Joel Sternfeld: Retrospective

Joel Sternfeld

The retrospective of the work of Joel Sternfeld, born in New York in 1944, is an epic journey across the USA, far from the beaten track and familiar landmarks of tourism. The landscapes, streets, green spaces and houses, together with their occupants, seem unspectacular, harmless and ordinary. Yet the photographic surface conceals failed utopias, forgotten fates and bloody crime scenes, which Joel Sternfeld reveals in a sober and precise manner. But the explosive power of his images lies precisely in the silent renunciation of sensationalism, and they reveal a sceptical and yet sometimes affectionate look at a shaken nation at the end of the twentieth century. Accompanying descriptive texts underscore the provocative nature of Joel Sternfeld’s probing explorations of the USA and at the same time address the objectivity and interpretability of photographic images.