Harlem Rally, New York after 1963

Gordon Parks made this gelatin silver print, Harlem Rally, New York, with his camera. Parks clearly revelled in the process of photography, using it as a tool for social commentary and change. Parks captures a moment thick with tension; the stark contrast in monochrome tones heightens the emotional charge. See the way the light catches the edges of the signs, making the words "Liberty or Death" seem to leap out at you. The cop looks straight ahead. He's doing his job, but what does he see, or what does he choose to see? And how does that reflect the ambiguities of justice and power? It's this play of light and shadow, combined with the signs and faces, that really brings the scene to life. Parks, like other photographers such as Roy DeCarava, reminds us that art isn't just about pretty pictures. It's about sparking conversations, challenging assumptions, and maybe, just maybe, changing the world one image at a time.