Logan, Ohio 1969

Nancy Rexroth made this black and white photograph, entitled 'Logan, Ohio', using a Diana camera; a cheap, plastic camera renowned for its dreamy and soft focus images. The image presents an intimate view of a bed, the dark headboard contrasting with the stark white sheets. The high contrast and limited depth of field, characteristic of the Diana camera, flatten the image, giving it an abstract quality. The image evokes a sense of quiet solitude, which we can connect with the experience of many American women in the 1970s. The feminist movement encouraged women to re-evaluate their domestic roles, and photographs like this one reflected the changing social landscape. To better understand Rexroth's work, we might research the history of photography and the evolution of women's roles in art. The image's aesthetic qualities, combined with its cultural context, transform a simple photograph into a powerful commentary on domesticity and identity.