A restaurant meal on a road trip. A billboard off a highway. A dusty side street in a Texas town. Stephen Shore (b. 1947) captures the seemingly banal moments of life. His photographs of small-town North America captured a society in transition. The mid-20th century works are emblematic of the rapid transformation of the era, both for culture and politics, and photography as an artform. His shots, according to 303 Gallery, “became a bible for young photographers seeking to work in colour, because, along with that of William Eggleston, his work exemplified that the medium could be considered art.” Most celebrated is Uncommon Places (1973 – 1981) series, which were taken over the course of a decade and form a landmark of visual Americana that continues to fascinate audiences. Now, this pioneering collection is on display at Vancouver Art Gallery, representing a transformative moment for the institution.
The exhibition comes after a donation of more than 800 photographs, given to Vancouver Art Gallery by the Chan Family, prominent Canadian philanthropists and business magnates. The significant contribution of Uncommon Places establishes the gallery as home to one of the most comprehensive representations of this acclaimed series in the world. Eva Respini, Curator at the museum, says: “Vancouver has long occupied a significant place in the international history of photography, home to artists whose work has shaped global discourse. To hold this series in depth allows us to place Shore’s vision in meaningful dialogue with that legacy, deepening both the history we tell and the experience we offer our audiences.”
Uncommon Places is the first time this collection will be on view to audiences, with several works that have never been publicly exhibited before. The series is widely regarded as a landmark in the history of contemporary photography. Taken over the course of multiple roadtrips through North American between 1973 and 1981, Shore captured ordinary scenes and objects of daily life with meticulous detail, remarkable clarity and vivid colour. Originally published as a book in 1982, Uncommon Places played a pivotal role in establishing the importance of colour photography as a fine art form, and defined a new photographic style rooted in the vernacular of everyday landscapes of North America. It places Shore alongside other pioneering figures of 20th century photography, like Joel Meyerowitz, Saul Leiter and William Eggleston. Today, the vivid reds of a high street sign of a bookshop or a blue sky framing a billboard for “Canada’s most popular cigarette” are a window into a bygone age.
In 1982, Shore wrote: “until I was twenty-three, I lived mostly in a few square miles in Manhattan. In 1972, I set out with a friend for Amarillo, Texas. I didn’t drive, so my first view of America was framed by the passenger’s window. It was a shock.” It’s this sentiment – a sense of wonder, awe and of viewing the world through fresh eyes – that makes Shore’s work so powerful. This continues outside of the USA, to his travels to neighbouring nations. In particular, the gallery brings Shore’s relationship to Canada to the fore, highlighting his encounters with the people he met and who shaped his journeys, including friends, family, strangers and individuals form his network of art connections. Here, audiences can experience the local area through the eyes of both an outsider and an artist, taking a voyeuristic perspective on familiar scenes.
Vancouver Art Gallery’s show is a brilliant opportunity to gain an insight into the mind and practice of Shore. Audiences can step into a world that no longer exists, soaking up the vibrant and dynamic streets of 20th century America and beyond. The fact that these works have entered the public realm for the first time in years makes it all the more special, allowing a remarkable artist who has inspired so many contemporary practitioners to continue to speak to the next generation of lens-based creatives.
Stephen Shore: Uncommon Ground is at Vancouver Art Gallery until 19 July: vanartgallery.bc.ca
Words: Emma Jacob
Image Credits:
1. Stephen Shore, King Street, Hamilton, Ontario, August 9, 1974, 1974 (printed 2013-14), chromogenic print, Collection of the Vancouver Art Gallery, Gift of the Chan Family.
2. Stephen Shore, Regent Street South, Sudbury, Ontario, August 12, 1974, 1974 (printed 2013-14), chromogenic print, Collection of the Vancouver Art Gallery, Gift of the Chan Family.
3. Stephen Shore, Victoria Avenue and Alberta Street, Regina, Saskatchewan, August 17, 1974, 1974 (printed 2013-14), chromogenic print, Collection of the Vancouver Art Gallery, Gift of the Chan Family.
4. Stephen Shore, Victoria Avenue and Alberta Street, Regina, Saskatchewan, August 17, 1974, 1974 (printed 2013-14), chromogenic print, Collection of the Vancouver Art Gallery, Gift of the Chan Family.
5. Stephen Shore, Causeway inn, Tampa, Florida, November 17, 1977, 1974 (printed 2013-14), chromogenic print, Collection of the Vancouver Art Gallery, Gift of the Chan Family.
