7 days
A humble American icon becomes the star of the show in this book by the noted photographer Lee Friedlander, says Amy Davies
£45, Steidl, hardcover, 88 pages, ISBN: 9783958295018
To us Brits, the pickup truck is not a particularly usual sight on our roads (or at least, it isn’t where I live). But for Americans, they’re ordinary and ubiquitous. In this volume, Lee Friedlander takes a look at this mode of transport which has perhaps come to be a quintessential representation of the American people over the past century.
Of course, while we might not see them so much on our own roads, our close connection with American culture means that we’re very familiar with pickups too and so a look at the cars somehow evokes a sense of familiar nostalgia. The beds, usually laid open to the elements, holding all manner of things from farm tools to spare tyres, animals or even the occasional person being something we’re very used to seeing visually represented.
Timeless style
These images were taken across many years, ranging from the 1960s all the way up to more recent times. That said, their timeless style and the fact they’re shot in black & white makes it hard to distinguish which pictures come from which era. Situated against classic American backdrops of deserts, city skylines and remote motels removes a distinct sense of time too.
It makes for an interesting study of wha
