Alexander Liberman 1948

Editor: This is a portrait of Alexander Liberman, captured in 1948 by Gordon Parks, using gelatin silver print. The black and white tones create a very classic, almost old Hollywood, feeling for me. What strikes you most about this photograph? Curator: Well, that feeling you’re picking up on… It’s all about Parks' dance with light and shadow. Look how he uses it, not just to illuminate Liberman, but to sculpt the space around him. It’s almost theatrical. The shadows aren’t just dark areas, they have this weight, this presence. Editor: It does feel very deliberate. How do you think this adds to the portrait? Curator: It adds a layer of complexity, wouldn't you say? Liberman seems both exposed and somewhat shielded by these shadows. The composition focuses us on his gaze but hides other details in darkness. Parks is offering a perspective. He is saying “Here is how *I* see this individual.” He invites us to interpret, rather than just observe. Editor: So, more than just capturing a likeness, it's a perspective? Curator: Exactly! Parks isn't just pointing the camera. He's pulling us into a silent conversation about presence, absence, and how we choose to see—or not see. The setting almost disappears as the shadows deepen around the corners, further drawing you to focus only on the man. He’s truly framed within his environment in an artistic way. It is the artist’s voice speaking through the composition. Editor: That makes me appreciate the photo on another level! I will now spend time looking for that visual perspective within other works of Parks that are on view. Curator: Wonderful. Isn't it incredible how a still image can be so active? So brimming with personal reflections? Photography’s capacity to achieve this remains nothing short of a magician’s trick, for me!