Blue Girl, Peru 1960

Gordon Parks made this photograph, *Blue Girl, Peru*, sometime in the mid-20th century. It's awash in a striking monochromatic blue; the texture of the wall behind the girl is so present, almost like rough brushstrokes. I can imagine Parks experimenting in the darkroom to get this effect. Did he intend it to feel melancholy, or was it a way to highlight the texture and form? You can almost feel the cool dampness of the Peruvian air. The girl's dress and the peeling paint on the wall feel like they share a story. Looking at this work I think about other photographers who used color as an expressive tool, like Ernst Haas. There's a certain kinship in the way they both embraced the emotional potential of color to transform a simple scene into something deeply resonant. It’s like they’re all in conversation, these artists, inspiring each other across time. Ambiguity invites us to bring our own experiences to the work, making each viewing a unique, personal reflection.