The photograph titled “Peter Exline” captured by artist Lee Friedlander in Spokane, Washington, exhibits Friedlander’s signature complex composition and reflects on everyday American life through the medium of street photography.
In the photograph, a man with glasses stands in the foreground, partially obscured by striped shadows that intersect across his face. The stripes seem to be cast by blinds or slats from a window. Behind him, the setting includes a small building like a house or shed with a pitched roof. On the right side of the frame, another individual appears in the background, seen in partial view, suggestive of someone peering around a corner. The man in the foreground does not seem aware of being photographed, which adds a candid feel to the image. In the upper left corner, there’s a reflection in a window, which captures the photographer, Lee Friedlander, himself taking the picture, adding another layer to the composition and creating a self-portrait within the photograph. The overall effect is one of layered visuals that challenge the viewer to piece together the various elements of the scene.