Robert Gould Shaw Memorial c. 1973 - 2008

Richard Benson made this gelatin silver print of the Robert Gould Shaw Memorial. It’s all about process, right? The way light and shadow play, it's like watching a dance of particles finding their place. Look at how Benson coaxes texture from the print. You can feel the weight of history in every grain. It's almost sculptural. Then there are those rolled up blankets on the soldiers' backs, they are these tight, spiraling forms, echoing the endless march forward. There's a tension, a stoic resolve. The horse, cropped off slightly, creates a feeling of forward momentum, like a wave about to crash. Benson reminds me a bit of Edward Weston, both masters of light and form. And both remind us that art is a conversation across time, an ongoing experiment in seeing. This photo is not just a document; it's an invitation to reflect, to remember, and to question.