Jim Hajicek 1975

Mike Mandel's 1975 photograph "Jim Hajicek" is a black and white portrait of a baseball player. Taken in a candid style, the image captures the subject in mid-swing, his face contorted in concentration. The photograph is part of a series of baseball cards created by Mandel, which playfully explore the conventions of the genre. While resembling a typical baseball card, the image subverts expectations through its unconventional composition and the subject's unglamorous pose. Mandel's work often incorporates elements of conceptual art, prompting viewers to consider the nature of representation and the construction of identity.