Walker Evans was one of the most important and influential artists of the twentieth century, who produced a body of photographs that continues to shape our understanding of the modern era. Evans worked in every genre and format, in black and white and in color, but two passions were constant: literature and the printed page.

While his photographic books are among the most influential in the medium’s history, Evans’s more ephemeral pages remain largely unknown. From small avant-garde publications to mainstream titles such as Fortune, Harper’s Bazaar, Vogue, Architectural Forum and Life, he produced an innovative and independent counter-commentary on America, often setting his own assignments, editing, writing and designing his pages.

Presenting many of Evans’s photo-essays in their entirety, David Campany assembles a forgotten history, allowing us to see how Evans protected his autonomy, earned a living and reached audiences far beyond the museum and gallery.