Eleanor, Chicago 1951

Harry Callahan made this gelatin silver print called Eleanor, Chicago, sometime in the middle of the 20th century. It’s a dense thicket of dark branches, scratchy and scribbled against the light. Look how Callahan uses the stark contrast between light and shadow to create depth. It’s almost like a drawing. The stark, almost clinical, way the figure is presented is interesting. I keep thinking about the way he uses light to flatten and abstract her form. The bush swallows everything; Eleanor is engulfed but also stands out. Callahan's work, like that of his contemporary Robert Frank, often explores the relationship between the individual and the urban landscape, but with a more formalist approach. Both artists share an interest in capturing fleeting moments and the emotional complexities of modern life, but while Frank's work is raw and immediate, Callahan's photography is more studied and contemplative. Both capture life, but in completely different ways. It asks us to embrace the uncertainty and fluidity of art.