Seung Hee Kim

Prof. Lynda Klich

MHC Arts in NYC
October 8th 2014
Mysterious Untitled Photograph by Garry Winogrand
The unsettling, non-traditional use of visual elements in the untitled
photograph by Garry Winogrand throws off the viewer visually and
cognitively. The conventional visual elements such as background, balance,
and value did not hinder Garry Winogrands experimentation with
photography. Winogrand broke out of the established boundary to create an
unanticipated image.
Even the genre of the photograph is a mystery. The image does not
seem like it is specific to a certain event or location, hence it is not quite a
documentary photography. It could be called portraiture since there are two
children captured in the photograph, but the children are fighting many other
strong visual elements for attention and they lack detail. The style, too, is
ambiguous at first sight. The image is realistic, but it forces the viewer to
second-guess what the style is because of what they see and interpret. The
background is just black, not giving many visual elements or details for the
viewer to grasp. The eyes expect to see some clues in the scene about
location and atmosphere, but Winogrand does not offer those clues in the
background. The viewer cannot even get a sense of the spatial depth. By
neglecting a detailed background, Winogrand visually limits the images

connection to reality and conveys otherworldliness. The stark darkness of the

background plays a role in the composition of the photograph as well. There
are not many shades of gray, which one might expect to see in black and
white photograph, found on the car. The lack of gray disrupts the natural flow
from the lighter shades to the darker shades and vice versa. The harsh
contrast of the light divides the image into two large shapes: the black
negative space and the white car. The negative space, because it is
prominently black, acts as the shadow in and of it self. The white car,
standing so brightly against the darkness, acts as the highlight of the entire
image. Rather than being naturally integrated into the whole scene, the car
seems completely out of place because the foreground, middle ground, and
background cannot be identified. The harsh contrast of the values gives the
photo a collage-like characteristic, as the car appears to be a cutout pasted
on to a black page. Although amongst the bold shades, the two children in
the car do not fail to grab the attention of the viewer. They are what make
this photograph so cognitively unnerving. They are not seated in a car that
may or may not be moving; the driver is not present and there is not enough
visual information to be able to tell if the children are in danger. The cropping
of the image adds to the uneasy nature of the photo. A section of the front of
the car and the bottom of the wheel is cropped out. By cropping these
sections out, Winogrand makes it difficult for the viewer to figure out the
direction and the placement of the car. He is playing with the human desire
to know and be cognizant of what is being seen. He deprives the viewer of

anticipated visual details, guiding the viewer to focus on what he wants the
viewer to see: the children. As the photographer, he is in control of the
interaction between the photograph and the viewer.
The unsupervised children in the car attracted me to this image. I do
not have a spectacular eyesight, so when I noticed the photo from a
distance, I did not see the children. When I was close enough to see the
children, I appreciated the subtlety of the childrens presence. I realized that
my eyes kept on going back to the human figures. I suppose this was
because human figures are more relatable to the human eyes. Although I do
not have any personal connections to the children, I was genuinely
concerned for them for a few minutes. When I was little, my parents never
left me unsupervised in a car. They feared that I might get kidnapped. My
personal experience influenced how I viewed the photograph. I could not
help but think that the children were in danger despite not having enough
evidence from the photo. The photograph, while not necessarily a pleasant
one, successfully did the one thing I expect from art; it interested me. I did
not stop and gaze at every single photograph displayed in the Garry
Winogrand retrospective. I only stopped in front of photographs that drew me
in for whatever reason. I should not have to struggle to connect with art. It
should just happen. There are countless ways that art can interest the
viewer. It can be purely visually compelling, it can tell a relatable story, and it
can be provocative. I firmly believe that art does not have to be pleasing to
be interesting. Many of the Winogrand photographs were actually quite

visually pleasing, but I steered away from choosing those photos to explore
image that were interesting, without being pleasing.
In his large body of work, it is evident that he was not limit himself by
attempting to take photographs that would please the crowd. Art is too often
associated with aesthetic pleasure; aesthetics can be an important aspect of
art, but artists go further in their creative processes to convey meaning and
evoke feelings or memories. Spectators have the responsibility to go beyond
just viewing and appreciating pretty paintings. Art is not much different
from language and text. It has to be written and be read. Winogrand utilized
and also deliberately neglected various visual elements to startle the viewer,
to push the viewer to do more then simply look at and treat photographs as
ordinary snapshots of unbiased realities.
Untitled, Garry Winogrand, 1955, photography, 9 x 13 1/4"