Sequential Images: Elliot Erwitt Research

 Elliot Erwitt was a French-American photographer (Born 1928).  Erwitt was self-taught but honed his photographic skills through film school and in the army. Erwitt has a 50-year career and is now still alive and kicking at 95 years old.  I am looking at his work here as we have been creating sequential images in class and Erwitt has wonderful examples of this kind of visual narrative.

Elliot Erwitt: From Sequentially Yours (2011)

The above image is a funny take on childbirth, this short sequence is all that is needed to tell this story in a playful manner. There are some critics of Erwitt; 'that his work is "light-weight", "flippant", even "inconsequential".' (O'Mahony, 2003) but Erwitt has published 19 books and John Szarkowski, director emeritus of the Museum of Modern Art's photography department, states; "He's not only talented but extremely intelligent,"'(O'Mahony, 2003)

Elliott Erwitt The Metropolitan Museum of Art. New York City, USA. 1988. © Elliott Erwitt | Magnum Photos

In the above image, the sequence is in one image and the four statues lead your eye to the small girl who copies the statue's stature. Erwitt's images of people looking at art are revelatory and Erwitt states; '“I am a dedicated people watcher who loves to see art and art watchers watching,” Erwitt writes in his book, Museum Watching. “For a photographer, rather than fly casting, it’s like shooting fish in a barrel.”'  (Magnum Photos, n.d)) Erwitt has many examples over his 50-year career of this kind of image and all the images make me smile. 

Elliott Erwitt Greece. 1963. © Elliott Erwitt | Magnum Photos

Each of these images tells a story and we imagine being in the frame, this is not just about sequence but the art of photography itself, the frame creates the window to the story and here we are privileged to enjoy the windows that Erwitt has gifted, to us, the viewer. 

References 

Magnum Photos, The art of looking at art • elliott erwitt •  (no date) Magnum Photos. Available at: https://www.magnumphotos.com/arts-culture/art/elliott-erwitt-the-art-of-looking-at-art/ (Accessed: 05 October 2023). 

O’Mahony, J. (2003) Profile: Elliott Erwitt, The Guardian. Available at: https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2003/dec/27/photography (Accessed: 05 October 2023).