New Year’s Eve Party, American Legion, Bangor Possibly 1980 - 1983

Curator: Larry Fink's photograph, "New Year’s Eve Party, American Legion, Bangor" captures a moment of revelry. What strikes you initially? Editor: It's raw, isn't it? The high contrast, the unflattering angle...it feels intensely personal, almost voyeuristic. Curator: Fink often explored social class and intimacy. Notice the woman’s tilted hat, the cigarette, the slightly weary expression. The “New Year” signifies hope and renewal, clashing with the grit of the scene. Editor: Precisely. It’s a complex symbol—the hat. On one hand, festive and communal. Yet, perched precariously, it hints at fragility, perhaps the ephemeral nature of these celebrations within the American Legion context. Curator: The image evokes a sense of cultural memory, suggesting shared experiences and the psychological weight of expectation and disappointment associated with holidays. The symbols are common. Editor: And it’s this tension, the contrast between aspiration and reality, that makes Fink’s work so compelling as a social document. Curator: It makes you wonder about the stories held within that room, doesn't it? Editor: Absolutely, capturing history through individual experiences of hope and community.