Street Map (#5) Possibly 1987 - 1994

This is a photograph by Jim Goldberg, I don’t know when exactly it was made. What strikes me here is the way Goldberg uses the black and white, it’s not just about recording what’s there, it’s about feeling the weight of the world, and the way it bears down on this young man. The way he is lying on the flag, it's not really respectful or disrespectful. I think he’s just existing in the world, using it as a surface on which to rest and catch his breath. He looks away, lost in thought. There's a real tension in the photograph. The American flag is right there, a symbol of freedom, while he is wedged between that and the hard black edge of the game. Looking at this photograph reminds me of the work of Robert Frank and the way that artists keep answering each other across time, asking questions about what it means to live in America. It is the work of art to keep asking. It’s all open for interpretation, thank goodness.