In Eveningside (2021-2022), Crewdson explores moments of contemplation within the confines of quotidien life, in places of employment, and in moments just outside of those work structures. The figures populating the pictures are sparse, and are often seen through storefront windows, in mirror reflections, or positioned underneath the mundane proscenium found in the midst of their everyday routines: railroad bridges, doorways, porches, the overhanging roofline of a bank teller drive-thru, a dairy bar, a corner market, or a hardware store. Bringing his vantage point closer to the figures, using a heightened range of light and darkness, special effects such as fog, rain, smoke, and haze, and for the first time using his now ubiquitous full production and lighting team in a monochromatic palette, the result is a rich gothic atmosphere, evocative of film noir and classic cinema, but with the capabilities and clarity of the most current technology available in digital photography.
Edition: 1 of 1
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THE BURIAL VAULT
EXT. EVENINGSIDE - DEAD END STREET - TWILIGHT
We are positioned on the turnaround of a hardscrabble dead end street, peering back at the houses along the right hand side. They are in various states of disrepair and decay. The last one on the block, that which is closest to us, is a two story multiple-family house with first and second floor porches at the front. It appears it was abandoned long ago in the midst of repairs. What was once a yard is now an unwieldy growth of grass.
Just next to that, even closer to the camera, is a small free-standing shed. It has two wooden doors on the front, and one is open. A bare bulb hangs from the ceiling inside, and illuminates a BURIAL VAULT. A BOY from the neighborhood has happened upon this strange mysterious situation. He is holding an old, beat-up hobby horse in his hand. He gazes into the shed at the burial vault, with curiosity and trepidation.
