Happy Birthday, William Eggleston

For today’s Monday Motivation, we’re celebrating the influence and birthday of William Eggleston, an American artist whose work helped legitimize color photography as a medium in fine art. Eggleston said: “I am at war with the obvious.” His viewpoint comes through clearly in his series of photos taken at Pittsburgh’s 1984 Three Rivers Arts Festival.

A photograph of a child standing on a ramp with one hand on the railing and the other in their mouth. Glass skyscrapers are behind the child and an American flag is flying. 
William Eggleston; Untitled (Boy on Ramp), 1984; Carnegie Museum of Art: Gift of Three Rivers Arts Festival. © William Eggleston
Two people stand in line in front of a wooden booth, art hangs on the wall of the booth and one person stands in profile in front of an artwork depicting fish. 
William Eggleston; Untitled (Girl and Fish), 1984; Carnegie Museum of Art: Gift of Three Rivers Arts Festival. © William Eggleston
A carnival booth with brightly colored artwork of ice cream cones with a sign reading “$1.50 old fashioned waffle, ice cream, sandwiches.” 
William Eggleston; Untitled (Waffle Ice-Cream Sandwich), 1984; Carnegie Museum of Art: Gift of Three Rivers Arts Festival. © William Eggleston