The Black House, London 1973 - 1976

Colin Jones made this photographic print, “The Black House, London,” using gelatin silver. You know, the funny thing about black and white images is that we still see color, don’t we? Or maybe we see feeling? There’s a kind of quietness in this image, like the family has paused for a moment, aware they are being observed. Look at how the patterns in the wallpaper meet the textures of the carpet and the knitted blanket on the bed. It’s almost dizzying, the way these surfaces press against each other. The light coming in through the window is soft and diffused, smoothing out the edges, especially on the faces of the mother and child sitting on the bed. This photograph reminds me a little of the work of Dorothea Lange, who also captured intimate scenes of family life. Maybe it's about art being a conversation – each artist building on what came before, transforming it, and making it their own.