Don Drowty 1975

Mike Mandel made this small black and white photograph, "Don Drowty," at some point in the 70s. It’s part of a larger series of baseball cards, but these aren't your regular ball players; instead, they’re portraits of friends and acquaintances. The photograph has a beautiful, grainy texture, especially in the shadows of the background and the figure's clothing, where it almost dissolves into abstraction. The use of black and white lends a timeless, almost nostalgic feel, like an old family photo found in an attic. The texture and tone give depth to the character. Mandel’s project reminds me a bit of the work of Barbara Kruger, who also used photography and text to question representation. But where Kruger is direct and confrontational, Mandel is more playful, inviting us to reconsider the everyday. Art, like baseball, is about the stories we tell and the way we see the world. It is always open to multiple interpretations.