Untitled (Lower West Side series) 1973

This photograph, part of Milton Rogovin's Lower West Side series, captures a family, maybe in the 70s, with a directness that’s both intimate and stark. The black and white palette is so matter-of-fact and really strips everything down to its essence; he’s not messing around with fancy colors, just laying it bare. And then you notice the bars, right there in front. It's a simple choice of perspective, placing the family behind what could be a window or a gate, but it hits you hard with questions about access and restriction. Look at the father's bare foot, it’s right there at the bottom of the frame, vulnerable, human. It makes you think about the everyday, about what it means to live and survive. This reminds me of the work of someone like Gordon Parks. Both artists use photography as a tool for social commentary, showing us realities that are often ignored. In the end, Rogovin's photograph isn’t just a document; it’s an invitation to see, to feel, and to question.