Blackwood Service Station, San Joaquin Valley, Riverbank, California  April 9, 1940, printed c. 1960s

Editor: So, this is Dorothea Lange's "Blackwood Service Station, San Joaquin Valley, Riverbank, California," taken in 1940. It's a black and white photograph, and what strikes me is its stillness. It's more than just a photo; it's a quiet portrait of a time and place. What do you see in this piece? Curator: Ah, stillness, a great observation! I feel it too. This photograph is more than just a snapshot, it’s like a faded memory, isn’t it? Look at the gas prices – a whimsical artifact now, but the photo captures that moment on the cusp of massive change. It speaks volumes about rural America, the simple architecture, the lonely stretch of highway, the unpretentious promise of “Green Go” gasoline. What does that make you feel? Editor: It does feel like looking back into a lost world, that gas being so cheap, and you have this rustic service station where even a bottle of Coke looks a bit of an extravagance! The framing and how she includes everything makes you think of a painting – not just photojournalism. Curator: Exactly! Lange wasn’t merely documenting; she was composing. See how the telephone pole almost bisects the frame? The Coca-Cola and 7up signs call to each other over a landscape caught between hardship and hope, which became so true in this era, and with her own sensitive portrayal of farm workers. A visual poem to a bygone era, captured by one of photography’s greatest storytellers. What is one word that springs to mind? Editor: Gosh, with all that in mind... 'resilience', perhaps. Thank you for the wonderful insights! Curator: And thank *you* for opening my eyes again, and letting the dusty light of memory filter back in...