Close No. 122 Saltmarket 1868

Thomas Annan’s photograph, "Close No. 122 Saltmarket," captures a narrow alleyway in 19th-century Glasgow, its tall buildings forming a claustrophobic corridor. Light struggles to penetrate the depths of the close, casting long shadows that accentuate the poverty and confinement of urban life. The verticality of the architecture looms over the inhabitants, an enduring motif reminiscent of the Tower of Babel. In this context, the tower symbolises not divine aspiration, but the crushing weight of societal structures. This motif of oppressive architecture repeats through history; its emotional resonance lies in the primal fear of being trapped and overlooked, a silent cry echoing through time. Annan’s lens finds beauty in squalor, revealing the delicate balance between presence and erasure that characterises the human condition. The shadows themselves become characters, bearing witness to the unspoken stories embedded in the bricks and mortar. The image transcends its immediate subject, inviting viewers to reflect on the cyclical nature of urban decay and renewal, and how it resonates across generations.