Warhop, New York, American League, from the White Border series (T206) for the American Tobacco Company 1909 - 1911

This baseball card of Warhop of the New York American League, from the White Border series, was made by the American Tobacco Company. What I love about this image is the way the process is so visible. This isn’t about hiding the steps of making the image, but letting them show. It feels kind of casual, even though I’m sure it wasn’t. I mean, look at the way the colours are slightly off-register, giving the whole thing a kind of hazy, dreamlike quality. For me, a standout mark is the tiny blue blotch just below the belt – it's totally accidental but somehow completes the image. It draws the eye and gives a sense of depth to the whiteness of the uniform, contrasting with the ochre background. It’s like a little mistake that makes the whole thing feel more real. Thinking about the American Tobacco Company as artists makes me smile. I’m reminded of the work of Corita Kent, the pop art nun, who used the visual language of advertising to make her own, completely unique prints. Art is an ongoing conversation.