Zuma Beach, California, June 1983

Sternfeld’s seminal body of work, American Prospects, changed the course of photographic representation. From this series we find that Sternfeld looked upon the course of human events in America with exaltation and with sadness. He saw an America that has stood in the history of nations as a place of wealth, exuberance, exoticism, and most importantly as a noble experiment in democracy. With each successive publication of American Prospects, critics have pointed to its ongoing, indeed increasing, relevance to the present moment. American Prospects: The New Pictures is the debut of never-before-seen images from Sternfeld’s legendary work. Oftentimes quieter and more contemplative than the ic...View all