Gus Solomon 1960

Curator: The dynamism in Harold Edgerton’s photograph of Gus Solomon is striking. The repeated arm movements give a wonderful sense of motion. Editor: It reminds me of time-lapse photography, or even Eadweard Muybridge’s motion studies, but somehow more ethereal, less scientific. There's an almost angelic quality to the wings created by the hands. Curator: Edgerton, who lived from 1903 to 1990, was fascinated by stroboscopic photography. Think about the cultural context: mass production, scientific management of labor, and the recording of movement. Editor: And what about the symbolism? Hands reaching, grasping—are they offering, or taking? The figure is alone, bathed in light, yet almost fragmented. Curator: Edgerton's images democratized science and engineering. He transformed the mundane and made it art. A celebration of technology and the human form. Editor: I appreciate how it bridges the gap between artistic expression and scientific inquiry; something to consider further.