Martha Graham, American Document ("Puritan Love Duet" with Erick Hawkins) 1938

Barbara Morgan captured this gelatin silver print, "Puritan Love Duet" with Erick Hawkins from Martha Graham's "American Document." The photograph reveals a study in contrasts: light and shadow, movement and stillness, male and female. Graham arches back, her face and outstretched arm illuminated, conveying both vulnerability and defiance. Hawkins, a dark, looming form, seems to restrain her, creating a visual tension that speaks to the push and pull of their duet. Morgan’s choice of black and white enhances the starkness and intensity of the scene. The composition, with its dramatic lighting, emphasizes the struggle and constraint inherent in the "Puritan Love Duet". It challenges conventional notions of love and partnership by revealing a complex interplay of power and emotion. The photograph becomes a stage, capturing a moment of profound cultural and philosophical discourse.