Untitled (portrait of older and younger man) c. 1940

This photographic portrait of an older and younger man by Paul Gittings really messes with your sense of light and shadow. The lack of information we have about Gittings really frees you up to play with the image. The negative image turns everything inside out – the darks become light, the lights become dark. Check out how Gittings captures the texture of the suits. The older man’s seems smooth and almost luminous, while the younger man’s shirt and trousers are more matte, a little rougher. The older man’s tie disappears in the inversion. What does that mean? The shiny, slippery fabric, now inverted, reveals a hidden depth. Maybe it’s a comment on how things aren't always as they appear. This work makes me think about artists like Robert Mapplethorpe and how he played with light and shadow, elegance and transgression in portraiture. Ultimately, art leaves more questions than answers, doesn't it?