Asphalt Workers 1975

Roy DeCarava took this photograph, Asphalt Workers, sometime in the 20th century. Look at the way he’s captured this scene, the arrangement of the figures, the angles of the light, and try to imagine what it might have been like to be there, on that street. It's the kind of image that makes you consider the labor involved in building a city. The weight of the asphalt, the heat, the physical exertion… And then you see how DeCarava uses light and shadow, and how these workers are framed by the urban architecture. It reminds me of some of the social realist painters who were committed to representing everyday life. There’s a powerful connection to be found in looking. We, as viewers, bring our own experiences, and understanding that artists like DeCarava make things that allow for multiple readings is important. His work remains fresh, inspiring new generations to look closer at the world around them.