Candy Store, Amsterdam Avenue c. 1955 - 1989

William Klein captured this photograph, "Candy Store, Amsterdam Avenue," using photography, immortalizing a transient moment. The checkerboard pattern, immediately striking, is reminiscent of a stage, setting the scene for the human drama. The child's melancholic expression is juxtaposed against the commercial backdrop. Look at those advertisements: cigarettes, telephones, emblems of connection and addiction. They form a stark contrast to the boy's vulnerability, highlighting an alienation often found in modern urban life. Consider how similar backdrops have been used in portraiture through time to add depth and meaning to the sitter. Klein cleverly uses this setting to explore themes of innocence versus experience. The starkness evokes a sense of psychological tension, engaging us on a subconscious level with the complex interplay of urban existence and the human condition. It mirrors a stage upon which daily life plays out. The checkered background might remind you of the floors of paintings by renaissance masters, such as Jan van Eyck, that have a very different symbolism and tone. The image leaves us contemplating how symbols evolve, resurface, and take on new meanings, reflecting the ceaseless currents of culture and memory.