Synopses & Reviews
Sean O'Faolain wrote: "There is some alchemy of climate in Ireland that bedews the countryside with an unmistakable personality: it is in the softness of color, the mobility of the light, the gentleness with which sound caresses the ear." And, indeed, Jill Freedman has captured in her photographs something of that softness, mobility, and gentleness in the Irish landscape and in the character of its people. Her photographs document the tail end of the old days, just as the modern world began to creep up on Ireland. So we see the traditional life of Ireland, even as coal is overtaking turf to fuel the fires, and baking bread gives way to buying bread in a shop, as tales told by the fire are interrupted by the onset of television. Jill Freedman celebrates the beauty of the land, the warmth of her people, the simplicity of the old ways, the humor and conviviality, the sharp wit and black moods, and the kindness. Her work is a love poem to a wild and passionate beauty.
Synopsis
In describing his beloved land, the late Irish short story writer Sean O'Faolain wrote: There is some alchemy of climate in Ireland that bedews the countryside with an unmistakable personality: it is in the softness of color
About the Author
Jill Freedman is a highly respected documentary photographer whose award-winning work is included in the permanent collections of The Museum of Modern Art, the International Center of Photography, the Smithsonian Institution, and the Bibliothèque Nationale. She lives in East Hampton, New York.