Philip-Lorca diCorcia, Hartford, 1979

This photo suggests trouble in paradise - friction between a nefarious-looking suburb and a tired human. Trapped in a window high in a brick edifice, a visibly defeated man, surveys his severe domestic environment. The sharp lines and dark corporate colours of the suburban houses are reflected in his business-like dress –the uniform of the atomic father. There are hints of conflict; his rolled up sleeves, loose tie, a cup of coffee, and cigarette.  Above his head, the disorderly branches of a bare tree are reflected and superimposed over his po-faced house.