Stolen Car, Hollywood Possibly 1988 - 1994

Jim Goldberg made this gelatin silver print, "Stolen Car, Hollywood." Photography has always been about capturing moments, but it is also a process intimately linked to labor, class, and social dynamics. The gelatin silver process, dominant for over a century, involves coating paper with light-sensitive emulsion. Goldberg’s decision to shoot in black and white is critical. Without color, we are left to consider the composition, the stark contrast between the light of the streetlamps and the shadows that envelope the figure of the woman. Consider the labor involved in Goldberg's photography. From the physical act of taking the picture to the technical expertise required to develop the print in the darkroom, each step requires skill and care. The grainy quality of the photograph adds to its emotional depth, lending a sense of immediacy to the narrative. The title brings in wider social issues and a sense of desperation and displacement associated with Hollywood, and the American dream. It’s a reminder that even seemingly simple images are imbued with layers of meaning through the artist’s intention, and the act of making itself.