A grayscale photograph of a vanity covered in memorabilia. The mirror on the vanity reveals a dark-skinned figure in the room, holding a crutch in one hand.

Aaron Siskind

Man in Mirror with Crutch

Maker

Aaron Siskind (American, 1903-1991), (RISD Faculty 1971-1976, Photography)

Title

Man in Mirror with Crutch
from the series "Harlem Document"

Year

1940

Medium

Materials/Techniques

Techniques

Dimensions

Image: 30.2 x 21.9 cm (11 7/8 x 8 5/8 inches)

Credit / Object Number

Credit

Gift of Matrix Publications, Inc. and Alpha Partners

Object Number

83.031.3

Type

Exhibition History

Variance
Making, Unmaking, and Remaking Disability
Feb 01, 2022 – Oct 09, 2022

Label copy

In this photo, a dress and jacket hang beside a dresser-top mirror. Reflected in the mirror is a young African American man who holds a crutch as he looks off into the distance.

It is unclear if the presence of the crutch compelled photographer Aaron Siskind to make this image, but it is important to note that signs of disability and impairment are around us all the time. According to the Center for Disease Control (CDC), one in four adults in the US has some type of disability, with African Americans experiencing higher rates than any other race. Thinking critically through a disability lens further underscores the great need for racial equity.

Image use

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In copyright This object is in copyright

Tombstone

Aaron Siskind (American, 1903-1991)
Man in Mirror with Crutch; from the series "Harlem Document", 1940
Gelatin silver print
Image: 30.2 x 21.9 cm (11 7/8 x 8 5/8 inches)
Gift of Matrix Publications, Inc. and Alpha Partners 83.031.3

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