Charley Roitz 1975

Editor: We're looking at "Charley Roitz," a black and white print from 1975 by Mike Mandel. It feels... unassuming, almost like a snapshot from a family album. What’s your take? Curator: Ah, yes, unassuming, but with a wink, perhaps? It's funny how a seemingly simple portrait can hold so much. The flat lighting, the direct gaze, it's all so very… 70s. I see a man who’s comfortable, confident, yet there's also a hint of vulnerability, wouldn’t you agree? Maybe it’s his eyes? Editor: I hadn't really thought about the vulnerability, but I see it now that you mention it. Is it the photo itself, or does knowing it was taken in the '70s influence that perception? Curator: Ooh, excellent question. It’s both, isn’t it? There’s an undeniable stylistic signature to the era. That cap, the mustache, the casual attire; it shouts the 70s, doesn’t it? But beyond that, it captures a cultural mood – a sort of… loosening up, a relaxed confidence. He doesn't seem to care whether we find him "cool" or not, which paradoxically *is* cool. I suspect he might have had a twinkle in his eye. Do you imagine a story behind him? Editor: Perhaps he's just won a game, going by the emblem on the cap? Thinking about it now, there's a storytelling element to the composition that invites us to imagine him beyond the frame. I hadn't thought about that initially! Curator: Exactly! And isn't that the delight of encountering art? To spin narratives, connect the dots, and find resonance across time and experience. I initially saw it as just a photo, but looking at it closely has brought him, and that time, to life. Editor: It definitely feels like I am taking home much more from this encounter!