Untitled, France (Family of Miners series) 1981

Milton Rogovin made this photograph, part of his Family of Miners series, in France. Rogovin's work feels less about capturing a perfect image and more about revealing the grit and realness of his subjects. The photograph is black and white, and the shades seem to embody the physical labor it portrays. Look at the subject's face: the grime etched into every line. The texture is palpable, you can almost feel the rough fabric of his scarf and the worn denim of his vest. Notice the rack of lights behind him, tools of his trade that frame him like a halo. There's a stark honesty here, a sense of dignity amidst the harshness. It reminds me a bit of Dorothea Lange's portraits of Depression-era farmers, raw and unflinching. These artists show us that art isn't just about beauty, it's about bearing witness, about seeing and honoring the lives of others. It's about sparking empathy and understanding.