Santa Cruz Possibly 1973 - 1994

Richard Gordon made this gelatin silver print, Santa Cruz, sometime during his life between 1945 and 2012. It’s a black and white photograph with a lot of contrast. The blacks are really black, and the whites, especially the faces of the children, are really bright. I love how Gordon captured these two kids peeking out from behind what looks like a photo booth curtain. Their eyes are wide with wonder, looking up at something we can’t see. It makes you wonder what they’re seeing, what they’re thinking. There’s a lot of mystery and playfulness in the way the scene is framed, almost like they’re putting on a little performance, inviting us into their secret world. It’s interesting to think about how Gordon’s work, with its interest in the magic of everyday life, relates to other photographers like Garry Winogrand, who captured the energy of city streets with a similar sense of curiosity. Art is always like this conversation across time, isn’t it?