Woman Dying, Chicago 1953

Curator: Here we have Gordon Parks’ 1953 photograph, “Woman Dying, Chicago,” a gelatin silver print. Editor: Whew. Right in the gut. That hand reaching out… It's raw. Makes you want to hold her hand, whisper something hopeful, though what can you really say? Curator: Parks made this arresting image while working for _Life_ magazine. His work was pivotal in social realism, directly confronting the stark realities of poverty and racial discrimination, which he felt the Black Arts Movement expressed. Editor: There's an incredible tenderness amidst all that starkness. The play of light on the bedsheets, the stark contrast… it feels like a conversation is happening in the shadows, secrets being shared in that final embrace. Very intimate, and maybe a bit voyeuristic too, no? Curator: His work, indeed, challenges the viewers to consider their role in these systems. Consider this series, a portrait of everyday existence. This speaks volumes about the neglect and lack of access to healthcare for Black communities in Chicago during that period. It’s also important to remember the socio-political forces in which Parks created art: The politics of imagery directly correlated to how civil rights and discrimination cases unfolded across the United States. Editor: It gets to you. The black and white heightens the drama, simplifies everything to bare essentials. You are face to face with something real—not posed, not glossed over. Curator: This image, exhibited within our galleries, serves as an essential document and powerful commentary on the realities faced by African Americans, a challenge for collective memory and a call to acknowledge systemic inequalities. Editor: So many stories wrapped up in one still moment. Thanks, Parks, for not looking away. Curator: A poignant image that calls for critical consideration of our present. Thank you both for joining us.