Untitled (Appalachia series) 1962 - 1971

This photograph is part of Milton Rogovin’s Appalachia series. I can imagine him there, camera in hand, capturing a slice of life, in what looks like a small, intimate space. It’s all in grayscale, you can see the boy sitting shirtless and there are all these objects behind him, pictures, portraits, a record player, and a bible. I feel like the image might be trying to capture the quiet dignity and the weight of the world on those young shoulders. It makes me think about what it’s like to be a kid. The portraits of Jesus in the background remind me of those I’ve seen in folk art traditions. I’m thinking about how artists, consciously or not, are always responding to those who came before. The texture of the photograph is just like the lace table cloth. Photography, like painting, captures life. Every artist kind of builds on the conversations of those who came before.