A simple black and white photograph can say so much. This one, mostly illuminated by the light inside of a jack-o-lantern in the fall of 1945, conveys a sense of childlike fascination with the Halloween season. At the same time, the upward light casts sharp shadows across the young child's face, as if they're about to tell you a scary story around a campfire. Of course, 1945 was the final year of World War II, meaning the image can also be viewed through a contemporary lens of celebrating holidays in less than ideal situations.
This photo was one of 250 selected by UMMA visitors to join the Museum's permanent collection earlier this year as part of the Take Your Pick exhibition, which showcased 1,000 vernacular snapshots from 20th and 21st century America. Collector Peter J Cohen donated the top 250 vote getters to UMMA this past spring.
Reflection Prompts:
- What was your favorite season as a young child and why? Has your opinion changed as you've grown older?
- Imagine this image is a scene from a scary movie - what happens next?
- Celebrating Halloween in 2020 will be different from recent years. How do you plan to celebrate safely?
