New York City Airport c. 1972

Curator: Ah, "New York City Airport," a gelatin-silver print by Garry Winogrand, taken around 1972. Isn't it just delicious? Editor: It's a wonderfully moody black and white. It feels claustrophobic, almost… expectant. All these men in suits, lurking. Like a still from a Cold War thriller. Curator: Precisely! Winogrand had this way of capturing the frenetic energy of everyday life. I often wonder what compelled him to photograph such moments. The making of it, you see, that specific choice, is such an odd one when it’s not posed and candid. Editor: The image's texture stands out; it's all sharp contrast and grain. This image seems to reveal a deeper cultural dynamic concerning labor in the media itself with the men that are reading their daily paper. Did it really take that many people to build, edit, produce, and sell the information within it, only to have one person read it? That is rather excessive when considered, maybe the expectations that Winogrand’s pictures leave on its audience are based on his own personal questions. Curator: I resonate deeply with the textural reading, though. I can almost feel the coarse paper of the newspaper and the harsh synthetic wool of their suits. Isn't it evocative how such simple, ubiquitous things can become portals to a whole world of feeling? I bet Winogrand saw it too. He saw it, then snapped that picture like a psychic impression. He then waited for hours, making the photograph physical through a development procedure. Like one could say, the film doesn't reveal itself easily. You have to show the respect. Editor: It does make you wonder about the production process behind such a seemingly spontaneous shot. How much was staged versus pure chance? I agree it does feel particularly of its era; the focus on individuals waiting for travel arrangements speaks to broader shifts in transportation. In comparison, the speed of modernity appears slow, just standing and waiting. I wonder if this resonates with you also, that is something I hope you, reader, keep in mind as you listen along, we welcome the time taken to view art at one's own pace. Curator: And I think Winogrand really relished in how a fleeting image like this could still be immortalized, no matter the means. This image is from its time, made through materials specific to that moment, preserved for all time by those same materials, however! I could muse on this image for days. Thank you for your thoughts. Editor: Absolutely. It's a potent reminder of how photographs can capture not just people, but entire ways of life frozen in a frame.