by Artist (743)
Ogle Winston Link (aka O. Winston Link)
American, (active 1914–2001)
The print in the MMFA collection was made by Winston Link in 1996 from a 1957 negative. It is a classic example of Link's photographic style, recording the train within the context of the community it serves, rather than in isolation. It combines a staged set-up with elements that belie that static atmosphere: in this case, the rushing engine trailing a cloud of steam and the airplane flying across the movie screen. This combination creates resonances which convey a deeper meaning than simple nostalgia. The train, a symbol of obsolete technology, rushes unnoticed past the cars which have replaced it, and the static cars in turn are filled with passengers that look toward the future of technology reflected on the movie screen. Through these juxtapositions Link suggests a sense of passing time, the rapidity with which modern technologies evolve, and, ultimately, a sense of loss for all that has been forgotten and replaced. The movie-goers' apparent serene disregard for the train racing by almost on top of them also adds an element of the surreal to the photograph.
American, (active 1914–2001)
Hot Shot East Bound, Iaeger, West Virginia
negative 1957; printed 1996
Object Type:
Photograph
Dimensions:
15 5/8 in. x 19 5/16 in. (39.69 cm x 49.05 cm)
Medium and Support:
Gelatin silver print on paper
Accession Number:
1997.0003
Credit Line:
Gift of Mr. and Mrs. James M. Scott
The print in the MMFA collection was made by Winston Link in 1996 from a 1957 negative. It is a classic example of Link's photographic style, recording the train within the context of the community it serves, rather than in isolation. It combines a staged set-up with elements that belie that static atmosphere: in this case, the rushing engine trailing a cloud of steam and the airplane flying across the movie screen. This combination creates resonances which convey a deeper meaning than simple nostalgia. The train, a symbol of obsolete technology, rushes unnoticed past the cars which have replaced it, and the static cars in turn are filled with passengers that look toward the future of technology reflected on the movie screen. Through these juxtapositions Link suggests a sense of passing time, the rapidity with which modern technologies evolve, and, ultimately, a sense of loss for all that has been forgotten and replaced. The movie-goers' apparent serene disregard for the train racing by almost on top of them also adds an element of the surreal to the photograph.
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