Chelsea, New York 1965

David Vestal made this photograph of Chelsea, New York, using gelatin silver. It’s got a beautiful, melancholic feel. Look at how the light glistens on the wet asphalt. I wonder if Vestal was thinking about the act of seeing itself. The buildings loom over the street, dark and imposing. The composition is divided, and the blurred car in the foreground adds a sense of motion, of the city never sleeping. The reflections on the wet street create a sense of depth. The contrast is so intense, it feels like a memory, or a dream. Maybe this work speaks to how we experience urban environments – a mix of fleeting moments and enduring structures. It reminds me of the work of other street photographers, who captured the raw energy of city life. Ultimately, art is about this exchange, this ongoing dialogue between artists and their world, influencing and shaping each other across time. Vestal's photograph invites us to embrace the beauty of imperfection.