Fire on Marlborough Street by Stanley J. Forman - Coursework Example

Fire on Marlborough Street [1975] Stanley J. Forman “…the external life of encountered experiences, and the imaginative life of the photographer. It is at the intersection of the inner and the outer worlds that the life of a photograph begins."1 What makes an image unforgettable? What elements decide if a photograph is merely a good picture, or if it will be revered as iconic? What gives a photograph life? On July 22, 1975, Boston Herald photographer Stanley J. Forman, responding to an emergency call, captured the harrowing event of Diana Bryant and Tiare Jones falling from a Boston fire escape in an attempt to flee a burning building. The woman died immediately, but Tiare Jones, her godchild, lived. What began as a routine fire rescue would forever be remembered as an exercise in futility. The photograph became an instant source of controversy surrounding several issues, and continues to elicit commentary tot his day. Upon first looking at “Fire On Marlborough Street”, the action in the scene makes the nature of the photograph obviously disturbing. But there is more to it than that. As viewers, especially as of late, we have seen scenes of death before. We have encountered photographs of war, holocaust, famine, crime, violence, etc.; so the subject matter is not a new one. What makes Forman’s “Fire On Marlborough Street” a unique visual experience are three things; firstly, our knowledge of the facts leading up to the picture. Bryant and Jones were only seconds away from being safely rescued by a fireman, when the collapse of the unstable fire escape sent them plummeting to the ground. Having to acknowledge the blink-of-an-eye immediacy of the event, even several decades later, leaves viewers shaking their heads in disbelief. Secondly, the historical significance of the photograph reminds us that all too often social progress comes at a hefty price, and thirdly, the immediate in-your-face action that is so close up, engages and impacts the viewer on a personal and visceral level. Squarely frozen in the middle of the picture, one of the victims (Bryant) seems to be protruding from the photograph, almost reaching out to the viewer. The near three-dimensional perspective of the action makes the photograph appear almost holographic. But what is the meaning behind Formans photograph, and what effect does it have on the viewing audience? The photo speaks to the fragility of life, and the ever so thin line between hope and despair. It reminds us how fleeting life really is, and that each of us is just a collection of moments. The photo immediately registers in ones mind as being horrific, and we shudder at the thought of the end result, yet for some reason, a tragedy frozen in time compels, and even more so, allows us to look on. There is a kind of perpetual dedication to seeing, and a deliberate act of looking that feed into the life of a single image. As viewers, we get caught up in the action of the photo, and in doing so, internalize its meaning. We create an emotional bond with the subject of the photo and yearn to know more. This is apparently both a natural and common reaction. In his book, The Life of a Photograph, Sam Abell discusses this phenomenon, and talks about single images that inspire questions about their subject matter. Such photos " make me want to be more than a viewer." 2 Such is the power that “Fire On Marlborough Street” has over us. In the scene, the face of the falling woman, Diana Bryant, is shielded by her own arm, blocking our view of her final expressions. The face of the falling girl, Tiare Jones, however, is in full view, and we struggle to describe the correct word or words to describe what we see. Is that the face of utter fear and panic, or worst yet, is it the face of innocence succumbing to despair? The answer lies in the interpretation and differs from audience member to audience member. What remains a constant factor about Forman’s photograph is its ability to address the viewer’s heart and mind simultaneously, and spark an intellectual dialog within the viewer. 3 We find ourselves compelled to ask more questions. How could that have happened? What actually caused the fall? Why is the woman falling head first, but not the little girl? What happened right before the fall? Surely something could have been done. The image has such a lasting impact that the dialog continues long after the viewer removes themselves from the photograph. Forman’s image has sparked external dialogs, as well. It was a major influence in the revamping of Boston’s fire safety codes concerning stabilization of fire escapes, immediacy of emergency response, and procedures for accessing and securing burning buildings and the victims within them. In 1975, Forman won a Pulitzer Prize for “Fire On Marlborough Street”. Because of the capturing of disturbing subject matter, dialogs and conversations have taken placed about whether or not such photographs should be viewed as witness bearing documents, or as exploitive works of art depicting human suffering. On a recent visit to the site, Photo.net, a photographer asked if anyone thought his photograph of a wheelchair bound man was exploitive. Opinions regarding the subject varied, and some of the comments were obviously grounded in the responder’s dislike of personal space being violated; yet others were able and willing to discern the difference between the two. “ The "exploitive threshold" will vary from photographer to photographer. I know people who have no conscience. If you were apprehensive after you took this shot, youre probably close to your limit.” 4 “I also have ethical/moral questions regarding this kind of photography. Documentary/historical photography is acceptable for me since it records events of significant, but serious invasion of privacy, and preying on the misfortunes of others, just for a photo is wrong in my opinion. If I were the man in that photo (and we all may be someday), I would not want it shown to the world.” 5 Many responders thought that as long as the photograph was authentic and not doctored in any way, that it was a document free from exploitation and could be seen as witness bearing. Suspicions surrounding the doctoring a photograph for effect is nothing new for photographers. When Robert Capa submitted his now famous photograph of a soldier being instantly killed, there were those who insisted that the photograph be authenticated. One person said claimed that the flat-footed angle of the falling man suggested that Capa had possibly staged the shot for effect. When the image was closely analyzed, however, the finding was that the photograph was, in fact, authentic. The stark, instantaneous reality of sudden death so close up on the battlefield had been so disorienting and disturbing, that what was actually a documentary comment on the brutality of war became, momentarily, the subject of suspicion. Because of its success at bringing about municipal change, it is safe to believe that most viewers would feel comfortable classifying the photograph as a witness-bearing document. However, what exactly does it mean to bear witness? Is it the actual existence of the photograph itself, or does it depend upon the decision of the photographer to take the picture and then take action? Mark Reinhardt, editor of Beautiful Suffering: Photography and the Traffic of Pain, addresses this issue by writing " How can one do it [bear witness] effectively when crises seem to happen on a daily basis, and images pass by in a blur? How can one prevent viewers from becoming numb and passive? For many photographers, bearing witness means gaining intimate knowledge of the subjects and circumstances…and then disseminating what they have seen and experienced…" 6 It is this very process that has made “Fire On Marlborough Street” and others like it unforgettable iconic images. "Because of its painful themes and its extension beyond art alone, curatorial focus…lies less on the works themselves, and more on the issues they raise." 7 "If horrible things are documented and recorded, maybe they wont be so readily repeated…the visual proof of catastrophe might generate activism or humanitarian aid." 8 So there we have it; an answer to our question. Bearing witness is not an either/or process, but one like Formans “Fire On Marlborough Street” that requires deliberate action on the part of the photographer to capture an image in a tangible photograph to be presented to the public at large. In addition to the context of the story behind the photograph is the existence of the successive shots that Forman snapped just seconds before, and while “Fire On Marlborough Street” is almost always presented and viewed as a single image, it is actually one in a series of shots that Forman captured in frames 17 through 26. When placed alongside the other shots, “Fire On Marlborough Street” gains even more significance. The photographs are frozen frames of stark reality; the firemen at the scene, on the ladder, attempting to rescue to the woman and child; the woman and child standing on the fire escape waiting to be rescued; the child, wrapped in the fireman’s arms, seems out of eminent danger; the collapsing wrought iron leaves all three dangling and clinging for life; the rails give way, and the victims free fall. Hope, hope, struggle, despair. Stanley Forman’s body of work is that of a photojournalist for the Boston Herald. His two famous pieces of work are “Fire On Marlborough Street” and “Soiling Old Glory”. Both of these works are usually referenced in articles and sites discussing Pulitzer Prize winning news photography, although the second photograph, “Soiling Old Glory”, is usually a lot easier to find, even though it dates Forman’s “Fire On Marlborough Street” by only one year. To possess the ability to capture iconic images twice in a row and gain serious scholastic recognition for them speaks volumes about the man himself. In 1999, Cyma Rubin directed a televised documentary entitled, “Moment of Impact: Stories of the Pulitzer Prize Photographs”, in which Stanley Forman was one of the featured photographers. Forman commented on what it took to compartmentalize his emotions in order to capture the events surrounding the now famous Boston fire. He had to put aside his personal shock to capture the image. On winning the first of his Pulitzer Prizes, Forman [was] pragmatic in knowing that his work resulted in tougher fire codes. "I daydream about making pictures that have the impact that those pictures had" 9 Forman’s work ethic and attention not only to detail of image, but to subject matter has earned him the respect of his news colleagues world wide, and has caused his works to be regarded as set standards in professional photojournalism. In May of 1979, Forman’s work was included alongside several other artists in an exhibit at the Santa Barbara Museum of Art aptly titled, Attitudes: Photography in the 1970’s. Almost two decodes later, in June of 1996, his work was again included with others in an exhibit at the New York Museum of Modern Art entitled, Pictures of the Times: A Century of Photography. Both exhibits dealt with images that had gained recognition either for their artistic content, their social significance, the ground-breaking approach used by the photographer, or for their effect on the viewers at large. Each photograph has, in some way, earned a place of permanence in the world of visual arts. “For a portrait to last, it needs to be part of a larger picture.” 10 Forman’s “Fire On Marlborough Street” clearly meets that standard. Stanley Forman’s work has earned permanent residence in several private collections. His work is housed at the Center for Creative Photography in Tucson, Arizona, as well as at the Addison Gallery of American Art in Andover, Massachusetts. The George Eastman House, in Rochester, New York also contains some of Forman’s work, and notes that his collection is currently still being gathered. One thing is for certain, however, Stanley Forman’s accomplishments in photojournalism will continue to serve as examples of change forged through art and media, and his iconic work, “Fire On Marlborough Street” will always stand as a document that brought about social change. REFERENCES 1 Sam Abell, The Life of a Photograph (New York) 6. 2 ibid, 4 3 Bryan Grisby, News Photographer (1996) 10 4 Jim Tardio, 5 Todd Frederick, 6 Mark Reinhardt, et al. Beautiful Suffering: Photography and the Traffic of Pain University of Chicago Press, Chicago, 2007) 7 Mark Reinhardt, et al. Beautiful Suffering: Photography and the Traffic of Pain University of Chicago Press, Chicago, 2007) 96 8 ibid 9 Stanley Forman, 10 Sam Abell, The Life of a Photograph (New York) 62 WORKS CITED Abell, Sam. The Life of a Photograph. New York Grisby, Bryan. News Photographer. 1996 Reinhardt, Mark, et al. Beautiful Suffering: Photography and the Traffic of Pain. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2007. Stepan, Peter. Photos That Changed The World. Berlin: Prestel, 2000. Whelan, Richard. Robert Capa At Work: This Is War. New York: Steidl, Gerhard Druckerei und Verlag, 2007 14, April, 2009 http://photo.net/bboard/q-and-a-fetch-msg?msg_id=001vdZ 14, April, 2009 14 April, 2009 Read More