From Back Window, 133 West 22nd Street, New York 1965

David Vestal made this photograph, From Back Window, 133 West 22nd Street, New York, using gelatin silver. Looking at the high contrast of the image, I imagine him in his dark room, playing with light as he brings this scene into being. I feel for Vestal, a little, trying to find beauty in such a mundane scene. But maybe it wasn’t mundane to him. Maybe there’s a story here, of a man stuck inside on a snowy day, looking out the window, seeing the geometry of the fire escape, the stark contrast of the snow against the brick, and thinking, "that's it!" The geometry of the metal staircase, slicing through the space of the image, creates a real sense of depth and perspective. The dark, heavy lines create a framework, a foundation for what's beyond. It's a physical, tangible thing, this staircase. It’s like Vestal is saying, “Here I am, in this place, seeing this thing.” And in doing so, he invites us to see it too.