Galilee Baptist Church (Storefront Churches series) 1958 - 1960

Milton Rogovin made this photograph of the Galilee Baptist Church, part of his Storefront Churches series, sometime in the 20th century using black and white film. The tones here feel very graphic, almost like a high contrast print. What strikes me are the textures; the rough, weathered wood of the building’s facade, and the smooth surface of the church door, juxtaposed with the crisp lettering of the sign and the number 1099 above. There’s a clear delineation between inside and outside, the sacred and the everyday, all mediated through the eye of the camera. Look at the way the light catches the snow on the steps, almost like a soft focus effect. Rogovin's work reminds me of Walker Evans, another photographer who documented the vernacular architecture of America. Both artists share a deep respect for their subjects, finding beauty and dignity in the ordinary. Photography, like painting, is about seeing, and about showing us how to see the world anew.