March 28, 2020

Jack Delano’s photograph titled “Homeless people sleeping in the vestibule of an apartment house in Caguas” from 1941 spoke to me, and has been stuck in my mind. The black and white photograph shows what looks like a small family with a woman and several children all asleep on a dingy staircase, using clothing as blankets without shoes or any possessions in sight. Delano was an American photographer who was hired by the Fam Security Administration to document conditions caused by extreme poverty in rural America (Puerto Rico is an American territory). The photograph was taken in 1941 after the country was just coming out of the Great Depression. This photograph in particular references access in such a subtle and nuanced way that one’s first reaction is most likely compassion and as one looks on longer and thinks more about the subjects in the photograph one starts to build questions about why these people do not have access to housing, or blankets, or shoes; do they have access to water or food; are they sick; how did they end up here; what can one do to help?
I tend to cut and paste photographs and generally have a more jovial and absurd approach to collage and art making; but this photograph is so strong and moving in its own right, that I am inclined to try to explore documentation as a means of art. I think the seriousness and gravity of the topic is conveyed quite powerfully through the simplicity of the photograph. It speaks so much to access without pulling any punches about motives.
After observing Mara Magyarosi’s photography class, I also feel inspired to empower children to use photography as a means of expression. I think photography is a very difficult skill to hone; however, I like that there is an entry point that seems intuitive about it in our culture today. A lot of children gravitate to and participate in documenting themselves and the world around them to share on social media. I think with this in mind, you can use that (literal) lens to help them curate ideas and articulate their ideas visually. As I think about building a curriculum, I want to incorporate many different disciplines of art making and expose my students to a number of tools (such as cameras in this example) that can be used in many different ways. I tend to capture things in a photo so I can cut it up and recontextualize it, and I found that capturing a moment without any recontextualization is challenging and yet extremely effective for conveying information. I would like to start with a jumping off point such as “find a photograph something that represents ‘access’ to you” and then allow students to use photoshop, collage, or allow the photograph to stand on its own to explore their voices and visions; but emphasize the idea that these are tools that can be used in many different ways.