Living Under South Street: Photographs of South Philadelphia by Jonathan Elderfield Review

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Living Under South Street: Photographs of South Philadelphia by Jonathan Elderfield ReviewJonathan Elderfield's "Living Under South Street" is a handsome and stirring testament to the power of one person with a small camera and a desire to capture life as he sees it being lived around him -- in this case, the vibrant street life of South Philly. Aside from what this camera shows (or doesn't show), I think it's important first to mention the lyrical quality of the images themselves. . . something you'll have to see for yourself instead of read about. The photos (and the quality of their reproduction and printing) are, in a word: Stunning.
If you're not familiar with the neighborhood, I recommend starting off with one of W.S. Piero's poems from the back of the book to give you some sense that South Philly is less a neighborhood in the sense of "geographical area within a city" than it is, pardon the cliche, a state of mind. Once you're ready, hit the photos themselves at a leisurely pace. If you know South Philly well, if you've only passed through, or (perhaps especially) if you've never been, what you see is an evocative portrait, building with image after image, of the good, bad, ugly, poignant, fun, exuberant, strange, fascinating, languid, lucid, mysterious, heartbreaking, and joyous way of life as it's lived by some of the inhabitants of one of the country's most notable neighborhoods.
And with all due respect to the reviewer from South Philly below (though I did think that the education befitting a Fortune 100 VP would have prevented him from describing people of the neighborhood living like "animals"), it does seem necessary to explain what Elderfield's book is not: It is not a real-estate catalog or buyer's guide, nor is it a chamber-of-commerce hi-how-are-ya-and-welcome-to-town. Undoubtedly there are parts of South Philly not covered in the book, which is why it's considered a photography book rather than an atlas or reference compendium. If you're looking for evidence of the upward mobility of the neighborhood's residents, perhaps a Who's Who compendium would fit the bill.
If, on the other hand, you're interested in the results of an artistic labor of love, the result of one person wandering South Philly's streets for months with the goal of capturing life as it's actually happening, with all its grandeur and heartbreak and all of those pensive, passive, frantic, and furtive moments in between, "Living Under South Street" is a beautiful and living testament.Living Under South Street: Photographs of South Philadelphia by Jonathan Elderfield OverviewShowing Elderfield's distinct view of South Philadelphia, this book documents a big scope of "street life", ranging from snapshots to carefully composed pictures. These beautiful black and white photographs strike the eye because of their lyrical quality, which is enhanced and complemented by contemporary poems. Due to this interdisciplinary conception, we find a great deal of authenticity in the street scenes, yet there is enough room for our own imagination to go beyond the captured moment. Extremes of poverty as well as healthy middle class are shown, in all variety of cultural heritage that is manifested in the resident's appearances.

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