Exhibition of vintage photographs by Evon Streetman.

Evon Streetman is a seminal figure in Southern photography whose experimental approach helped define the trajectory of contemporary photo-based art in the region. Initially trained as a painter, she was an early pioneer in incorporating painterly processes and handwork into her photographs. She embraces the materiality of the photographic surface through interventions such as hand-coloring, airbrushing, and the application of gold and silver leaf. Her images often blur the line between documentation and transformation, evoking a sense of place that is both intimate and enigmatic.

Streetman’s work emerged alongside a broader movement of artists who redefined photography as a fine art medium, including Clarissa Sligh, William Christenberry, and Eugene Meatyard. Like her contemporaries, Streetman’s work explores memory and place, remaining deeply rooted in the Southern landscape.

In addition to her artistic practice, Streetman was an impactful educator. She assisted in developing the photography curriculum at Florida State University and later founded the photography program at the Penland School of Craft. Her work remains a standard in the study of alternative photographic practices and the visual culture of the American South.