Coal Mining and Floor Problems: Photographs

Ben Shahn: Boys who salvage coal...

Sitting in shards of coal the two boys tried to find the piece that was the roundest. They had been digging all day in the soot, their faces and clothing now black. It was a game, collect the most pieces of tiny coal as possible before sundown. Really there was nowhere else for them to play in their small backwoods town; here they were able to get dirty and get away from home. The mine, which the coal had slipped away from, lay a few miles down the road over a hill. Both of the boy's fathers worked in the dark hole; so in a way they were connected to them. Picking up black rocks and shoving them in their pockets, similar to the way the older men would take the same stones and put them in wheelbarrows.

This photograph instantly reminded me of my grandfather. He lived in a coal mining town and tells stories of how he and his cousin would go to the outskirts of the mine and pick up pieces of coal. In his town there really wasn't much to do, so they explored the mines and eventually became miners themselves. This photograph to me showed two boys that were having a great time playing piles of coal while their parents were working in the mines.

Edwin Locke: Walker Evans

The problem of the day is a big one. He slides to the floor in his office, ignoring his chair that stands mere feet away. As he runs a hand through his hair he stares at the white wall in front of him. This problem should have an easy solution, but for some reason he just can't see it. His hand drifts up to his cheek, his pinky finding its way in between his teeth. He'll bite his nail off before he solves this problem if he's not careful.

This photograph made me think of myself. There are many days where sitting in a chair just won't help; where it becomes more of a floor-big-problem. Meaning that there are so many issues going on in my head, I need enough space to deal with them and a small chair and table aren't enough. Whatever Walker Evans was going through it must've been a hefty thing because he looks lost and in the midst of his thoughts. There are definitely days that I feel this way, as well as look that way.