Boys with Raised Baseball Mitts, Chicago 1953

Editor: So here we have Gordon Parks' "Boys with Raised Baseball Mitts, Chicago," from 1953, a gelatin-silver print. What strikes me most is the dynamic energy, contrasting with the rather gritty, urban backdrop. What do you see in this piece? Curator: The initial formal reading draws attention to the geometry created. Parks juxtaposes the spontaneous, upward thrust of the boys against the rigid, horizontal lines of the architecture. The puddle introduces a doubling, a visual rhyme that enhances the composition. Notice also the tonal range. Editor: Yes, the reflections in the puddle almost create an inverted world. It’s fascinating. Why emphasize these structural elements? Curator: Structure is the armature upon which the entire aesthetic experience rests. Parks employs contrast--between light and shadow, movement and stasis--to generate visual interest, guiding the eye throughout the composition. Semiotically, these structures are signifiers, cues to interpretation. Ask yourself what might those contrasting elements mean to the viewer? Editor: I guess it makes me think about the energy of youth against this…dour backdrop. The ephemeral moment, caught forever. Is it too much to read that in? Curator: No, I think you are onto something, the elements converge beautifully. I find I’m thinking about light and shadow, how it catches fleeting movements with lasting form. Editor: So interesting; thanks for sharing a completely different reading of the work. Curator: It has been my pleasure. Examining Parks’ strategy has given me new eyes to understand the piece more deeply.