Watts Riots 1965

Bud Gray made this gelatin silver print, titled ‘Watts Riots,’ at some unknown date. The high contrast between the light and dark parts of the image speaks to me of the riots' deep, underlying tensions. I imagine Gray in the darkroom, watching the image emerge in the developing tray, thinking about the real events and people he is picturing. Look at how the figure is framed by the dark shadows. Perhaps Gray was thinking about how to capture a complex political moment through an individual's perspective. Was he trying to evoke the feeling of being on the margins, as the image tilts and strains? I'm struck by the way artists like Gray are always responding to the world around them, grappling with tough issues, and trying to make sense of it all through their work. It’s a lineage of shared expression that connects us across time.