Self-Portrait, New York 1942

This is Harry Callahan’s gelatin silver print, "Self-Portrait, New York." Callahan, working in the mid to late 20th century, used photography to explore his interior life, finding subject matter in his immediate surroundings. This self-portrait, taken in New York, presents a layered image of the artist, his camera, and the urban landscape. It’s a moment captured through reflection and transparency. Callahan was interested in the formal aspects of photography, but his work is also deeply personal. He once said, “I am a photographer. What I do is look for and take pictures of anything that interests me.” Callahan’s work invites us to consider the act of seeing, representation, and the relationship between the artist and their environment. The photograph creates a dialogue between the personal and the public, the individual and the city, reflecting the complexities of identity in the modern world. It asks us to consider how we, too, are shaped by our surroundings.