Hanna Furnace (Working People Series) 1978 - 1979

Milton Rogovin made this black and white photograph, part of his "Working People Series," at the Hanna Furnace. The man stands there, looking straight at us, and there’s so much in the space around him. The wood paneling, the pictures of Jesus, the lamp. I can imagine Rogovin, moving around, trying to capture something real. It’s like he’s saying, "I see you. I see your life." The light and shadow are so important here. It reminds me of the Ashcan School painters, like George Bellows, who found beauty in everyday life. Maybe Rogovin was thinking about them, or maybe he was just thinking about the dignity of work. It's a question that is often asked by artists, that I ask myself, and that we ask each other. It feels like a collaboration, right? Rogovin and the man, making this picture together, making a statement.