San Francisco Then

“San Francisco Then,” the latest exhibition from seasoned photographer Fred Lyon, comprises thirty new prints from Lyon’s repository of negatives shot during the 1940s and ’50s.  The collection of black-and-white images presents a revealing glimpse into a bygone era. Individually, these images are powerful, singular records of a city’s iconic scenes: fog-drenched mornings in North Beach, cable cars on Market Street, and the twists and turns of Lombard Street. When viewed together, this striking series of images serves as a visual chronicle of San Francisco’s urban landscape at mid-century.

By virtue of their exquisite detail, Lyon’s images of the Golden Gate Bridge are among the strongest in the collection. These photographs combine clarity, balance, and a tension-based harmony worthy of the structures they illustrate. Consider “Golden Gate Bridge Under the Roadbed” (1950) and realize the multitude of things happening within the confines of the frame. The restrictive parallel borders of the metal girders change into delicate curves under the outstretched silhouette of the ironworker. The stiff mechanical angles of the support beams give way to gentle waves of light revealing Alcatraz in the distance. In this way, Lyon arranges the image so that one’s eyes follow a series of dark, shadowed shapes to rest upon the brilliant linear highlights created by the morning light as it rakes the girders. The overall effect is that of unity, a delicate balance between movement and placidity.

“Golden Gate Bridge Under the Roadbed,” 1950; black and white print; dimensions variable. Courtesy of the Artist and Modernbook Gallery, San Francisco.

The unity of motion and stillness, past and present, light and dark, weave a pattern of elegant simplicity into “San Francisco Then.” Fragments of past impressions, ideas, and experiences unite into a harmonious whole. The artist’s skillful eye, developed over the course of seventy years, imbues “San Francisco Then” with a playful spirit appreciative of the city’s timelessness and ability to continually evoke wonder.

“San Francisco Then” is on view at Modernbook Gallery in San Francisco through August 28, 2010.

Megan McMillan is currently earning her B.A. in mass communications at Menlo College. She lives in San Francisco where she continues to progress her passion for writing and her enthusiasm for the arts as an editorial intern for Art Practical.