Race Wall, St. Louis, Missouri Possibly 1971 - 1993

Curator: Ken Light’s photographic print, "Race Wall, St. Louis, Missouri," captures a striking mural, doesn’t it? Editor: Absolutely. The faces loom large, almost spectral, against the brick. There's a palpable sense of history and resilience in the image. Curator: The mural itself, and the inscription "Up, You Mighty Race," speaks to a complex history of racial identity and pride in St. Louis. It’s interesting to consider how that message resonates, or perhaps clashes, with the lived experiences of the people shown in front of it. Editor: Indeed. These portraits carry heavy symbolic weight. I can identify Malcom X, Martin Luther King Jr., and Marcus Garvey. It is a pantheon of heroes, but the dripping paint lends an elegiac air, as if memory itself is fading. Curator: Yes, that dripping effect is quite powerful. It might also reflect the tumultuous social and political climate, the ongoing struggle for equality. Editor: And the two men seated in front of the mural. Do they interact with the legacy of the figures above, challenge it, or quietly embody it? Curator: Light captures a moment of quiet contemplation within a charged atmosphere. It's a powerful visual statement about the complexities of race, memory, and representation. Editor: Seeing it today, the photograph serves as a stark reminder that our society is still grappling with these issues.