This collection of images by Ian MacEachern shows his life-long passion for social documentary street photography, as well as his perceptive observations.
The exhibition ‘Black and White is Like Radio,‘ showcases the work of a seasoned photojournalist whose career has spanned over 60 years, capturing significant moments across Canada and the United States in stark black-and-white.
The exhibition at the Beaverbrook Art Gallery in New Brunswick is a collection of images from the late 1960s to just a year ago. It reflects the evolution of photography from traditional film development in darkrooms to modern digital printmaking.
The exhibit’s title, Black and White is Like Radio, underscores the photographer’s belief in the power of monochrome imagery. Just as radio relies on sound to paint vivid pictures in the listener’s mind, black-and-white photography uses shades of gray to evoke emotion and tell stories.
MacEachern’s photographs are in the permanent collection of the McIntosh Gallery at Western University, the Beaverbrook Art Gallery, and in numerous private collections. He recently exhibited photographs of the epic rock band The Velvet Underground at the Museum of Modern Art in Paris, France.
About Hebner’s Taxi, the photo at the top of the post – Ian MacEachern’s description:
Midland, Ontario, 1967: “I was in the backseat of a friend’s car and ran outside as we stopped in traffic to take this picture. It felt like perfect composition: the man’s shadow aligned almost perfectly with the sidewalk, everything around him was framed. It’s still one of the best pictures I’ve taken. Years later, I found my photo online: copied, bent into panels and made into an umbrella by some Korean company. My friend recently found it plastered on an ashtray. He bought it, and it’s now at the Beaverbrook below the actual photo. The image lasted longer than Hebner’s Taxi itself.” (via Maclean’s here)
Ian MacEachern’s biography, here.
His website, here.
The Beaverbrook Art Gallery, Fredericton, NB, where the exhibit runs to April 16, here.
A superb profile on MacEachern in Maclean’s magazine, here.
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Wow! I’ve always loved black and white and these images are so great.
Well then he’s a perfect find for you. Glad you enjoyed. And I agree about b&w, just something about it, isn’t there.
These are wonderful! Proof that his faith in B&W is well-founded. And what a splendid, unexpected and well-observed comparison: “black and white is like radio.” I’ll remember that…
Great title, memorable, I agree.
Great photos. They sure do tell a story. The barbershop/taxi stand photo is kind of ironic…we used to live in Midland before we moved to the Maritimes.
Fabulous images!