Circus, Budapest, 19 May 1920 1920

André Kertész, in Budapest, on 19 May 1920, took a photo of two figures peeking through a wooden fence. It's all in grayscale; the timber slats are vertical, like a theatrical backdrop to the circus within. I wonder what Kertész was thinking when he made this. Was he also looking in from the outside? What sort of view did those two hopeful spectators get through the gaps? They appear to be a child with a straw boater, and another figure in a headscarf. The composition of the scene allows Kertész to capture both figures without ever revealing their faces. They seem keen and the texture of the wooden fence feels very real. It must have been exciting to see the circus beyond. Like a secret, snatched from the adult world. This piece relates to the work of many painters, such as Edward Hopper, for its study of voyeurism and the everyday. Like Hopper, Kertész is in an ongoing conversation about shared experience. Embracing ambiguity and inviting multiple interpretations makes this a powerful, exciting image.