Gordon Parks The Restraints: Open And Hidden

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RESPONSIVE ESSAY: The Power of a Picture - edited version - “The Restraints: Open and Hidden”, a picture captured by the photographer Gordon Parks in 1956 and then featured in Life Magazine, caught my attention instantly. There are several elements in the photograph that contribute to its overall compelling and moving entireness. In this essay, I will argue for the reasons behind my prompt appreciation of this photo. To begin with, the history behind “The Restraints: Open and Hidden” is important to recognize. Looking at the motif, one can see multiple doll-like sculptures of children with light skin inside a glass box of what looks like a museum. Just behind the foreground, in the center of the image, a woman is seen standing with a child. The two observants are both black, and this contrast is what creates the sense of history, truth and injustice of the photo as a whole. Gordon Parks capture has a melancholic light and a depth that pulls the viewer’s gaze towards the centre, drawing attention to the quiet knowingness in the child’s eyes watching the white dolls. The photographer’s perspective on the racism and inequality in America during this time, the 50’s, becomes quite obvious. He seems as though he wants to illuminate the segregation between black and white people and that he has a wish to influence this through photography. This the background of the powerful photo. …show more content…

Even though I have little in common with the pictured girls, Parks manages to create a deep feeling of association and empathy, which I believe was one of his main purposes. The realness and honesty of the motif portrays a restraining society with a lack of equality, humanity and civil rights overall. Therefore, I admire the challenging critique that is brought to light

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