Drunk Tank 1950

Weegee made this gelatin silver print titled "Drunk Tank" sometime in the mid-twentieth century. There's something really poignant and grimly funny about this image. Here's this person sprawled out, fingers reaching through the bars, as if trying to grab onto something, anything. I feel for them. The stark contrast is unforgiving. The grimy reality of the drunk tank is right there in black and white. There’s nothing romanticized. Weegee was known for his unflinching eye and his ability to capture the raw energy of New York City. He just went out into the world and saw things. Like he knew the place was a stage, and he was there to capture the drama. He's part of a big conversation, a long line of artists who use photography to hold up a mirror to society. It makes you think about who gets seen and who gets ignored. Weegee made sure these people were seen, even in their most vulnerable moments. It's a reminder that there's always more to the story than what meets the eye.