In 'American Surfaces' (1971—1973), Stephen Shore captures the atmosphere of modern America by photographing motel rooms, parking lots, and fast food restaurants and meals.
Read MoreThroughout the early 1970s, Shore embarked on a number of road trips across the United States with a 35mm camera, 4x5 view camera, and an 8x10 format camera. Sometimes referred to as his 'on the road' photographs, Shore took colourful shots of the everyday American aesthetic as he observed the streets and cities he passed through. Shore's photo-diary depicts unremarkable experiences and commonplace objects in everyday settings.
Although some critics initially regarded Shore's work as ordinary, his unique eye recognised the photographic possibility of the vernacular American landscape. Despite being dismissed at the time, 'American Surfaces' is regarded as an important series of work and established Shore as a pioneer of colour photography in art from the 1980s onwards.
'Uncommon Places' (1982) is a series of work depicting unremarkable American landscapes. Shore photographed 'Uncommon Places' on a large-format 8x10 camera. The size of the camera meant Shore couldn't move it easily, requiring him to remain extremely focused while shooting. He took roughly 20 minutes to compose and shoot each photograph in this series.
'Uncommon Places' documents imagery of Northern American highways, dirt roads, billboards, and gas stations. There are 61 photographs in the series, taken over a decade of travelling cross-country across the United States.
Shore's vibrant photographs captured a snapshot vision of America that portrays beauty even in mundane environments. Shore's series 'Uncommon Places' contributed to the establishment of colour photography as a recognised art form.
In 2002, Shore published a book titled Uncommon Places: Unpublished Photographs 1973—1978. The book was published by Galerie Conrads in Dusseldorf and features over 80 photographs by Shore.
