During group medical examination, the nude men are herded through a string of doctor’s offices c. 1960

Ernest Cole made this photograph called ‘During group medical examination, the nude men are herded through a string of doctor’s offices’ sometime in the mid-20th century. Imagine standing where Cole stood, looking through the lens. What does it mean to witness this scene, to frame it, to capture it? This photo is like a punch to the gut. So much vulnerability on display. The men are anonymous, yet their individual bodies speak volumes. The composition is striking, the stark contrast between light and shadow heightens the drama, making you feel like you are right there in that sterile room. Is Cole implicating the viewer? Is he challenging us to confront the dehumanization of these men, to see them as individuals stripped bare, not just physically but also of their dignity? Cole’s photographs were a form of resistance. He shows us the brutality of apartheid, the daily indignities faced by Black South Africans. It’s a reminder that art can be a powerful tool for social change, a way to bear witness and to challenge injustice.