Joe Jachna 1975

This is Mike Mandel’s photographic print of Joe Jachna, presented in a baseball card format. The black and white portrait is striking in its formal arrangement, immediately drawing our attention to the stark contrast between the verticality of the baseball bat and the subject’s face, bisected rather violently by this sporting tool. The bat acts as a visual barrier, challenging traditional portraiture conventions and creating a kind of anti-portrait. Mandel’s interest in the semiotics of everyday objects is evident here. The baseball bat, normally associated with action and sport, is repurposed as an element that both conceals and reveals. The contrast between the rough texture of the bat and the soft features of Jachna’s face creates a palpable tension. This visual interplay invites us to question fixed meanings, suggesting instead that identity and representation are fluid, unstable concepts. It leaves us to ponder the dual role of the bat, both as a symbol of American sport and a barrier that disrupts conventional viewing.