Untitled ("Pfc. James Strickland") 1971

Curator: This photographic print by Donald Blumberg features what appears to be a newspaper clipping of Pfc. James Strickland's return, likely from the Vietnam War era. There is a mother's kiss. Editor: It's stark, isn't it? The harsh contrast and grainy texture really capture the emotional weight of that moment—the relief, the anxiety... it feels incredibly raw. Curator: The surrounding news articles give context. Strickland was held captive by the Viet Cong for 22 months; the image highlights the political climate in which soldiers were deployed and received. The Associated Press wirephoto credits situate the image as part of mass media circulation. Editor: Visually, the composition draws your eye to the embrace, but the surrounding text feels like a cage. It’s like the personal moment is trapped within the broader narrative of war and politics. Curator: It reveals how personal experiences are framed by larger socio-political narratives, showing the convergence of private emotion and public consumption. Editor: It’s a compelling reminder of how deeply war permeates personal lives. I find the formal choice of a newspaper clipping creates immediacy. Curator: The piece’s power lies in its ability to freeze a moment of intimate reunion within the frame of a nation at war.