“My picture alphabet is both a simple alphabet for kids and, I hope, a group portrait of iconic 20th and 21st century objects.”
—Neil WinokurNeil Winokur’s A to Z series showcases his distinctive approach to photographing everyday objects against vibrant, saturated backdrops. Since the early 1990s, Winokur has employed this technique to produce striking images that merge the conventions of classic portraiture with the vividness of his compositions. Each piece in this series features a different object for every letter of the alphabet, all printed on Cibachrome paper to achieve his portrait’s intense colors and plastic feel.
The A to Z series serves as both a playful visual alphabet and a sophisticated homage to daily objects. The simplicity of each object, paired with the intensity of the colors, mirrors the way children perceive and experience the world. Winokur’s choice of objects and backgrounds reflects his own experiences as a parent, capturing the lively, vivid nature of a child's view of the world. As Winokur himself explains: “I like that alphabets provide a foundation for all reading and writing, and that, similarly, objects—or images—provide a basis for learning and memory.”
