Untitled (Lower West Side series) 1986

This is a black and white photograph by Milton Rogovin, part of his Lower West Side series. The photograph captures a couple standing in front of what looks like a metal door, holding a framed photograph of a family. What strikes me is how Rogovin uses the interplay of textures to tell a story. The smooth, almost reflective surface of the framed photo contrasts sharply with the rough texture of the metal door behind them. Notice how the polka dots on the woman’s dress almost vibrate against the solid background, drawing your eye. The framed photograph held by the couple, with its formal arrangement of faces, is itself a constructed image of family, against the more ‘natural’ photograph of the couple and their surroundings. It's a photograph within a photograph, a reminder of the layers of representation and memory that shape our understanding of ourselves and our relationships. The photograph feels similar to the work of Lisette Model, in the way it captures the ordinary dignity of everyday people.