Toreador (Lower West Side series) 1985

Editor: Okay, next up we have Milton Rogovin’s "Toreador (Lower West Side series)," a gelatin-silver print from 1985. It depicts a family, gathered outside what looks like their home. There’s a stoic quality to it, almost a gravity. What strikes you most about this photograph? Curator: It whispers stories of resilience, doesn’t it? Rogovin wasn't just capturing an image; he was capturing lives, entire neighborhoods facing the brunt of deindustrialization. I always wonder about the man wearing the cowboy hat… what was his dream, how did he picture his future when this photograph was taken? I look at the architectural forms surrounding them; these rigid geometries are so full of emotion! What do you notice about how Rogovin composes his shot? Editor: I see what you mean; there's something about the window and the brick behind them. And I guess the chain-link fence frames the composition as well, setting up layers between us and them, but that could also speak to barriers in general. Curator: Exactly! That fence might hold as much meaning as anything *within* the frame! You know, Rogovin often referred to his subjects as his “neighbors,” regardless of where he was photographing. I wonder what that says about the responsibility of the artist. Editor: That’s fascinating, viewing them as equals. So the images aren’t just documentary, they're an act of community? I’m looking at this picture very differently now. Curator: Aren't we all acts of community, in some ways? We're threads in each other's tapestries, shaping stories every single day... Editor: Thanks! Now, that’s definitely something I’ll carry with me.