Items Similar to The Palmist - Street photography, America, 20th Century, Robert Frank, Surreal
Want more images or videos?
Request additional images or videos from the seller
1 of 5
Michael OrmerodThe Palmist - Street photography, America, 20th Century, Robert Frank, Surrealc. 1989
c. 1989
About the Item
Edition of 10.
Black & White print on Hahnemuehle Paper.
The body of work, States of America, is the photographic legacy of one of the UK’s leading photographic talents whose untimely death in 1991 ended prematurely the highly promising career of a distinctive and powerful photographic voice.
Michael Ormerod was born in Cheshire in 1947. He lived in Newcastle, but spent many years travelling America. Fascinated by the American image, and following in the footsteps of Robert Frank, Ormerod took to the American West to find a washed out dream of capitalism. His images capture a strange juxtaposition of an American beauty tainted by a hidden sense of menace and corruption.
The photographs are understated, but show an unseen America, where the industrial heartland is decaying, highways stand empty and towns are deserted. The subjects of Ormerod’s work are the disenfranchised. A teenager cycles through her neighbourhood wearing a Halloween-style hockey mask, a Native American man stands in a graveyard, their expressions are unreadable.
The work subverts traditional American icons. A white picket fence is staved in, a huge billboard for Miss Teen Dakota USA stands next to an empty highway. Inverting the famous Hollywood sign, Ormerod photographs a Texaco sign from the back, dominating the empty, Western landscape.
The works also show humour – a giant fake dinosaur looms in the distance of a desert landscape, a stuffed moose head is displayed in the window of a diner. The subjects of the work are unconventional, surreal and sometimes mundane, but create an atmosphere of an eerie backwater America.
His photographs are those of the outsider, constantly travelling through a no-man’s-land. A sense of pessimism pervades, showing how the commercial boom of the 1950s has collapsed, leaving deserted streets, rubbish dumps and alienation. It is a land where the American Dream has turned sour.
Ormerod’s book, States of America, was published shortly after he died to mark an exhibition held at the Zelda Cheatle Gallery, London. Since then, only one major exhibition of his work has taken place in Sheffield in 2003. A reappraisal of his powerful and uncompromising chronicle of America is long overdue.
- Creator:Michael Ormerod (1947 - 1991, British)
- Creation Year:c. 1989
- Dimensions:Height: 24 in (60.96 cm)Width: 34 in (86.36 cm)Depth: 0.1 in (2.54 mm)
- Medium:
- Movement & Style:
- Period:
- Condition:
- Gallery Location:Brighton, GB
- Reference Number:1stDibs: LU72233237323
Michael Ormerod
Michael Ormerod was born in Cheshire in 1947. He lived in Newcastle but spent many years traveling to America. Fascinated by the American image, and following in the footsteps of Robert Frank, Ormerod took to the American West to find a washed-out dream of capitalism. His images capture a strange juxtaposition of an American beauty tainted by a hidden sense of menace and corruption. Inverting the famous Hollywood sign, Ormerod photographs a Texaco sign from the back, dominating the empty, Western landscape. His photographs are those of the outsider, constantly traveling through a no-man’s-land. Ormerod’s book, States of America, was published shortly after he died to mark an exhibition held at the Zelda & Cheatle Gallery, London. Since then, only one major exhibition of his work has taken place in Sheffield in 2003. A reappraisal of his powerful and uncompromising chronicle of America is long overdue.
About the Seller
5.0
Recognized Seller
These prestigious sellers are industry leaders and represent the highest echelon for item quality and design.
Established in 2005
1stDibs seller since 2017
91 sales on 1stDibs
Typical response time: 5 hours
- ShippingRetrieving quote...Ships From: Brighton, United Kingdom
- Return PolicyA return for this item may be initiated within 14 days of delivery.
More From This SellerView All
- Blanco 6 by Rosa BasurtoBy Rosa BasurtoLocated in Brighton, GBPlease bear in mind that all prints are produced to order. Lead times are expected between 15-20 days. Edition of 9 plus 2 Artists’ Proofs. 30x30cm Digital print on 50x50cm Cotton...Category
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Landscape Photography
MaterialsPhotographic Paper, Digital, Cotton
- Cross Walk, Nashville Tennessee, Morgan Silk - Contemporary Urban PhotographyBy Morgan SilkLocated in Brighton, GBPlease bear in mind that all prints are produced to order. Lead times are expected between 15-20 days. Image size: 14.5" x 14.5" Sheet size: 17" x 24" "Cross Walk, Nashville Tennessee...Category
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Black and White Photography
MaterialsPhotographic Paper, Archival Ink, Inkjet, Black and White
- Wall of Fame, Nashville Tennessee, Morgan Silk - Contemporary Human PhotographyBy Morgan SilkLocated in Brighton, GBPlease bear in mind that all prints are produced to order. Lead times are expected between 15-20 days. Image size: 14.5 x 14.5" Sheet size: 17 x 24" "Wall of Fame, Nashville Tennessee...Category
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Black and White Photography
MaterialsPhotographic Paper, Archival Ink, Inkjet, Black and White
- African American Man on Street - 20th Century, America, Street photographyBy Michael OrmerodLocated in Brighton, GBPlease bear in mind that all prints are produced to order. Lead times are expected between 15-20 days. A dramatic Black & White print on Hahnemuehle Paper available in this size in an Edition of 10. The body of work, States of America, is the photographic legacy of one of the UK’s leading photographic talents whose untimely death in 1991 ended prematurely the highly promising career of a distinctive and powerful photographic voice. Michael Ormerod was born in Cheshire in 1947. He lived in Newcastle, but spent many years travelling America. Fascinated by the American image, and following in the footsteps of Robert Frank, Ormerod took to the American West to find a washed out dream of capitalism. His images capture a strange juxtaposition of an American beauty tainted by a hidden sense of menace and corruption. The photographs are understated, but show an unseen America, where the industrial heartland is decaying, highways stand empty and towns are deserted. The subjects of Ormerod’s work are the disenfranchised. A teenager cycles through her neighbourhood wearing a Halloween-style hockey mask, a Native American man stands in a graveyard, their expressions are unreadable. The work subverts traditional American icons. A white picket fence is staved in, a huge billboard for Miss Teen Dakota USA stands next to an empty highway. Inverting the famous Hollywood sign, Ormerod photographs a Texaco sign...Category
20th Century Contemporary Black and White Photography
MaterialsPhotographic Paper, Color
- Bottleneck Blues, Vicksburg Mississippi, Morgan Silk - Urban PhotographyBy Morgan SilkLocated in Brighton, GBPlease bear in mind that all prints are produced to order. Lead times are expected between 15-20 days. Image size: 14.5" x 14.5" Sheet size: 17" x 24" "Bottleneck Blues - Vicksburg...Category
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Black and White Photography
MaterialsArchival Ink, Inkjet, Photographic Paper, Black and White
- Lucky Lucille, Vicksburg Mississippi, Morgan Silk - Contemporary PhotographyBy Morgan SilkLocated in Brighton, GBPlease bear in mind that all prints are produced to order. Lead times are expected between 15-20 days. Image size: 14.5" x 14.5" Sheet size: 17" x 24" "Lucky Lucille, Vicksburg Mis...Category
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Black and White Photography
MaterialsArchival Ink, Inkjet, Photographic Paper, Black and White
You May Also Like
- SPQR ( Rome ) - monochromatic timeless urban vignette of Italy's Eternal CityBy Frank SchottLocated in San Francisco, CAdetails of an almost monochromatic and timeless urban vignette in Rome, Italy captured with a large format camera to allow epic scale print sizes with incredible image details SPQR ...Category
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Black and White Photography
MaterialsArchival Paper, Photographic Paper, Archival Pigment, Giclée, Archival Ink
- Racetrack - large scale desert landscape panorama under mesmerizing night skyBy Frank SchottLocated in San Francisco, CAhighly detailed photographic capture of the mesmerizing night sky above the California desert Racetrack by Frank Schott 48 x 88 inches (122 x 224cm) signed edition of 7 24 x 40 ...Category
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Black and White Photography
MaterialsPhotographic Paper, Archival Paper, Archival Pigment, Archival Ink
- 'Eyed Birtch' - black and white polaroid still life photographyLocated in London, GB'Eyed Birtch' 2024 A photograph captured with a Polaroid camera. Printed on the finest archival paper, these limited edition photographs are designed to withstand the test of time, ...Category
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Black and White Photography
MaterialsPhotographic Film, Archival Ink, Photographic Paper, Giclée
- 'Venice' 2024 - black and white polaroid landscape photographyLocated in London, GB'Venice' 2024 A photograph captured with a Polaroid camera. Printed on the finest archival paper, these limited edition photographs are designed to withstand the test of time, prese...Category
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Black and White Photography
MaterialsPhotographic Film, Archival Ink, Photographic Paper, Giclée
- Sparring - Chris Smith, Muhammad Ali, Ali, boxing, black and white, 46x66 inLocated in London, GBChris Smith (b.1937) Sparring silver gelatin fibre based print 20 x 30 in. / 34.5 x 48 in. / 46 x 66 in. signed and numbered printed later This work is available in the following si...Category
Late 20th Century Contemporary Black and White Photography
MaterialsPhotographic Paper, Silver Gelatin
- Everlast - Chris Smith, Muhammad Ali, Ali, black and white, boxing, 66x46 inLocated in London, GBChris Smith (b.1937) Everlast silver gelatin fibre based print 30 x 20 in. / 48 x 34.5 in. / 66 x 46 in. signed and numbered printed later This work is available in the following si...Category
Late 20th Century Contemporary Black and White Photography
MaterialsPhotographic Paper, Silver Gelatin
Recently Viewed
View AllMore Ways To Browse
Vintage London Street Sign
Vintage London Street Signs
Dior 2003 Black
Black Fence
The Vintage Boom
Vintage Diner Photography
American Vintage Cycle
Strange Vintage Photographs
Vintage Highway Signs Signs
Vintage Highway Signs
Vintage Teen
Fake London
Vintage Wash Stand
Retro Highway Signs Signs
Photography Billboards
Vintage Cycling Photographs
Vintage Cycling Photography
Vintage Death Mask