Customer Reviews

The True Meaning of Pictures: Shelby Lee Adams' Appalachia

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

This film does a good job of presenting an unbiased examination of Adams' photography. If you are unfamiliar with his images, find some and examine them...some of them are almost haunting in the way they portray poverty in Appalachia. The problem, as most Appalachian scholars in the film see it, is that his photographs are often staged (completely) and can be seen as portraying a slanted/biased view of poor Appalachians as stereotypical hillbillies. I offer no conclusions on this issue; Adams says this was not his intent and that he's not responsible for his audience's interpretation. I have a hard time reconciling some of the staged shots as anything but exploitative, but I'd have to become more familiar with Adams' work to draw a solid conclusion. In any case, this film would be an excellent introduction to the idea of stereotypes in the region in a basic Appalachian Studies course. It offers several topics that could lead to course-long discussions that could serve as a foundation for an entire course.

This documentary is, at times, poignant, haunting, and eerily compelling. It is also, at times, graphic and disturbing. Photographer Shelby Lee Adams' representation of rural Appalachian life the film contains both a critique, and a defense, of Adams' methodology. Because Adams himself grew up in Appalachia, the viewers are afforded access to an astonishing and often uncomfortable level of intimacy with the subjects. We learn the stories behind the pictures of the "holler dwellers", the people who live in virtual isolation up to 20 miles down dead end dirt roads in rural Kentucky hollows. Adams unflinchingly takes us all the way to the end of the hollows where life becomes increasingly hardscrabble with every mile. The subjects' stories were, for me, alternately depressing and uplifting. The subjects themselves run the gamut from pitiful to stoically dignified, and despite their individual circumstances, they are as fearless to reveal themselves to the viewer through the camera's lens as Adams is to show Appalachian life as he sees it. The documentary is difficult to watch at times. Ultimately, it is left up to the viewer to reach his or her own conclusion as to Adams' motivations. A fascinating and difficult to watch look at a rapidly vanishing American sub-culture.

As a photography instructor in Kentucky I am often presented with the dubious task of trying to explain to the outside world that yes, indeed, thoughtful, creative artists are born, raised, and work in our wonderfully unusual state. Shelby Lee Adams is a Kentucky born artist who has dared to venture into the deep recesses of our amazingly diverse state to show the world both our challenges of poverty and our seemingly incongruent capacity for hope and resilience. This absolutely compelling video has captivated several hundred of my current and former students of photography, leaving some of us speechless and others ready to engage in spirited discourse about Shelby's motives. I have watched this film so many times that I can almost recite it line by line and as such I have grown increasingly amazed at both its content and the brilliant editing that builds each story to a fascinating climax without any visible evidence of coercion or interference by the filmmaker. I have lived here in KY for over twenty years and I had never before seen footage of the snake handlers that he documents with such unabashed intimacy. His photographs of the lifestyles of the "holler dwellers" are beautifully evocative if sometimes a little hokey in their choreography and the critics make solid points in this regard. Other commentators, such as the infinitely luminous Mary Ellen Mark, speak with great reverence for Shelby's approach to his subjects. No matter what you might think about Shelby's work, this is a fabulously crafted piece of precision documentary, ripe with thoughtful insights and poignant statements from persons of every level of economic and social strata (and a few who have curiously migrated from one to another level). There are fascinating bits of archival video footage that take us right into the lives of many of the subjects who we see depicted in his stunning large format black and white prints. I have in my collection most of the Photography related films that are reviewed here and I am perplexed that this one has not received the overwhelmingly positive reviews it is due. "The True Meaning of Pictures" is every bit as candid, provocative, and compelling as "War Photographer", the brilliant film chronicling the work of James Nachtwey. If you are even the slightest bit interested in the culture of Appalachia and a photographer willing to show us a side that we might otherwise never see, this fine film will most certainly leave you with more mental fodder than you bargained for!

In the world of "artsy" photography, Shelby Lee Adams is renowned for this portraits of people from Appalachia. His striking photos shows us "forgotten" Americans - impoverished, ignorant, disabled. The True Meaning of Pictures shines a critical light on Adams' work. Critics contend that Adams exploits his subjects by showing them in unflattering ways that reinforce stereotypes of Appalachians.

The film uncovers that, indeed, many of Adams' photos are staged. That is, the photos are not "true" depictions of life in contemporary Appalachia. For instance, the filmmakers show that Adams' staged photos of a hog killing; Adams suggested the hog killing to the subjects and he paid for the hog. Adams also focuses on mentally and physically disabled people. Viewers wonder whether these people understand how others see their photos.

There are extensive interviews with a defensive Adams. Adams continually reiterates that he is from Appalachia and that he is showing "his" culture in his photos. This isn't entirely true, though, as Adams comes from a higher socioeconomic level than do his subjects. (An unexplored topic is the culpability of others in promoting this view of Appalachia; is Adams just telling people in the art world what they want to believe?).

In the end, the True Meaning of Pictures is mildly interesting. Outside the art world, there will be little interest in Adams or his photos. For those with an interest in photos as art, this documentary is worth a look.

I am again amazed and just in awe of Shelbys ability to take a photographic mirror and show you, something in yourself in a plce where many have tried or by the evolution of education, been allowed to forget. This is fantastic, the man and the art, all in one are genuine.

My own efforts at photographing coal towns in Southern WV were butressed and helped because Shelby has said, often, he did NOT photograph the worst, and for those of you who feel exploited you are not. This is your chance to show, that in Appalachia, there is life, there is truth and there is genius, and it does NOT need to be defined or imbued with artisttic descriptors whioch kill it. Enjoy the life and vibrancy of the image.....

For those people who keep arguing about what SLA's subjects feel...think... Please go to his blog on Blogspot and read his essay and transcripts of interviews with the people from the documentary. We can be viewers, and make many assumptions, but we shouldn't put words in their mouths. They clearly love his work and their time spent with him...as well as his investment in their lives. He is not a typical "documentarian" who flies in and out to get his piece.

Very interesting documentary about Appalachian photographer Shelby Lee
Adams, and the ongoing debate as to whether his photos are too "faked"
or staged, and whether they reinforce stereotypes about Appalachia and
its people.

Or whether they use valid techniques to reveal deep insight into a
time, place, and way of life.

Whatever your philosophy about the "truth" of photos, there is no
arguing that many of the images are striking and powerful indeed.

Yet somehow the film stays just a touch too much on the surface. While
seeing the worlds of religious snake handlers, etc is fascinating, and
some of the intellectual arguments about Shelby"s work are interesting
(although tilted towards Shelby by the choice of supercilious,
obnoxious commentators on the critical side), the documentary never
feels quite as deep or as interesting as the photos themselves.

Yet, all my carping aside, this is strong and well worth seeing on
balance, especially if you have any interest in photography, the
Appalachian world or the ever ongoing debate on what is "truth" in art.

the work shown here is captivating, the critics cited and interviewed are notable and exceptionally well spoken, and the testimonies and archive film are engaging. as a whole, the film is worth watching. even if your not a fan of shebly lee adams, this film allows you to be a part of the argument for or against his work, and to see and perhaps understand both sides.

Both sides of my family hail from the hollers of Kentucky. And I find this portrayal unrecognizable.

No doubt you could find a family from any locale in the nation that lives in the extremes of poverty - and witness what that does to body and soul and lifestyle. City or country. But the way Adams structures and presents most of his work, hanging the label "Appalachia" over it in some definitive way, implies that this is the majority reality of the region, not a small, sad slice. I can't know his personal motives, but he's in denial if he thinks that people from outside the region don't look at his work as a fascinating freak show and a reinforcement of all the most damaging stereotypes of Appalachia. If he had *tried* to make a companion Doc to "Deliverance", he couldn't have been more successful.

If you want indulge the desire to gawk upon beyond hard-luck people, exploited for our supposed edification and our open-minded "sympathy", then go ahead and buy this DVD. And pretend that it doesn't just offer the opportunity to feel a secret or not-so-secret superiority to those poor, damaged "hicks".

But as someone whose family lived the holler life, coon dogs and outhouses, wood stove and well water and all, I can tell you that I never even met a family that resembles these. It might not fit in with preconceived notions of the area, and Adams "artistic vision", but that's simply the truth.

Unfortunately, I purchased this item with the hopes that it would be as historically interesting as some of the other books and dvd's I have purchased on this area. Sadly, I sent it as a gift to a dear friend who lives there and was shocked to see the reaction. They feel it is an insult to the Appalachia of today and just continues to portray an ugly picture to anyone who has not been to the area. Some 'holler' dwellers may be very poor and less educated than some of us but they are still family folks and loving ones. Are they any different from the very clannish New Englanders? Are not there areas in each and every state that could show areas of poor, uneducated folks? Modern Kentucky Appalachia has come a long way and I think folks need to see that and not the one portrayed in this book. My heart goes out to the poor folks that were exploited herein and from now on, I will preview things before accepting reviews from others.