John Benson 1975

"John Benson" is a black and white photographic work by Mike Mandel from 1975. The piece is part of Mandel's larger "Baseball Cards" series and features a posed portrait of an individual in a baseball cap and glove. The image is presented in a simulated baseball card format, with the subject's name printed boldly at the bottom. Mandel's "Baseball Cards" series is an exploration of the visual and cultural codes of baseball, and how these codes are reflected in the mundane world. The series uses the familiar baseball card format to critique and satirize the American obsession with sports and fame.