Untitled, Shenango Ingot Molds (Working People series) 1978 - 1981

This photograph by Milton Rogovin from his Working People series, captures a worker against a backdrop of inky blackness. I'm immediately drawn to the contrast, the way the light catches the contours of his face, the folds of his clothing, and the tools in his gloved hand. There's a starkness to this image that reminds me of some paintings, where the artist is stripping everything back to the essential, the core. You can almost feel the weight of his labor. Rogovin frames the worker directly, as if he wants us to look him in the eye, to acknowledge his existence and his contribution. You can see his humanity and there’s an undeniable sense of dignity. It makes me wonder about the stories we tell, and who gets to tell them. This photograph invites us to consider the lives and experiences of the working class, a subject often overlooked or romanticized in art history.