The photograph titled “Garage in Southern City Outskirts” is a piece by the artist Walker Evans, captured in the year 1936. It is a black and white image that depicts a street scene at a garage.
In the photograph, the building is fronted by a sign that reads “CHEROKEE PARTS STORE GARAGE WORK.” The facade of the garage features various sizes of tires, both new and used, prominently displayed around the entrance and hanging from the walls. In the center of the scene, there’s an old model car parked in front of the garage, with its driver’s side door ajar, hinting at either arrival or preparation for departure. At least three individuals are visible near the entrance of the garage, two outside possibly engaging in some sort of activity or conversation, and one person who appears to be inside, barely discernible in the shadows of the interior. The clarity of the image and the details of the scene offer a glimpse into the era’s roadside business and automotive culture.
