Circus Acrobat, New York 1936

Ilse Bing captured this image of a circus acrobat in New York with, I presume, a camera and film. It's amazing how she's caught the movement, the absolute balance, just at the moment of holding still. What strikes me is the contrast between light and shadow, this single figure caught in a beam of light against the dark, cavernous space around them. Bing allows the dark, grainy film to play against the smooth, lit body, and it's an interesting contrast. There is real risk in this image. The acrobat could fall. In fact, maybe they did fall right after this image was taken! This makes me think of other photographers like Lisette Model, who embraced the imperfections of everyday life, the grit and grain, and made it beautiful. Ultimately, art invites us to see the world in unexpected ways, to find beauty in the imperfect, and to embrace the multitude of possible interpretations.