Dimensions 4 5/8 x 6 5/8 in. (11.75 x 16.83 cm) (image)5 x 6 15/16 in. (12.7 x 17.62 cm) (sheet)
Lewis Hine made this small black and white photograph to capture a young boy and his bicycle. He uses light and shadow to pull a story from the scene. I'm thinking about the act of pressing the shutter button, Hine seeking the right moment to capture the boy's gaze, his stance, leaning on the bike. Hine’s decision to frame the boy in the street, with those buildings creating a slightly menacing background – the texture of the concrete, those fence posts. Is he telling us to be wary? I get this feeling of a certain unease—like the image might be cropped too close. Photography is about capturing life, but also it’s about questioning it, and that is what Hine did, always. He was an artist in his time, and his images still speak to us today. It's like he's saying: look at me, look at this boy, and don't forget him.
Comments
Lewis Hine was a documentary photographer, educator, and social reformer. Trained in sociology, Hine taught at the progressive Ethical Culture School in New York City before turning his attention to photography. As a photographer for the National Child Labor Committee (NCLC), Hine traveled the United States to document children in unsafe working conditions in factories, mines, fields, and city streets. Over ten years, he created an indelible record of the human cost of an exploitative labor market, documenting the tired faces of children at the end of their shifts, or even children mutilated by industrial machinery. These disturbing photographs were used in publications and presentations created by Hine and the NCLC, and ultimately promoted sweeping policy changes designed to protect children.
Join the conversation
Join millions of artists and users on Artera today and experience the ultimate creative platform.
CollectMore like this
