Victor (Lower West Side series) 1984

Milton Rogovin captured this silver print, titled 'Victor (Lower West Side series)'. Rogovin has a sympathetic eye, I think. Here, Victor leans nonchalantly against a brick wall, and Rogovin seems to ask: what does it mean to be “street”? Victor’s vulnerability is palpable, but he’s also very present, self-assured, and in charge of his own look. I can imagine Rogovin walking around the neighborhood, approaching people, asking them questions, finding out about their lives, and then asking to take their photograph. Rogovin and Victor share this collaboration, a fleeting moment of connection. You can see the bricks, the sidewalk, the metal bars over the window. Yet, it’s Victor’s presence, his look, his pose that really makes the picture. It’s all about the life that goes on *between* the bricks. Rogovin is part of a lineage of photographers who seek out everyday people and places, trying to find beauty in what’s often overlooked.