Textual Poaching

“Lunch atop a Skyscraper” is one of the most famous American black-and-white photos ever. Taken in 1932, it depicts eleven men eating their lunch on a steel girder that’s over 800 feet above the ground in Manhattan. There’s a lot of meaning behind this photo: for one, it represents the industrial revolution. It also shows how working conditions were—not a safety precaution in sight! But it also represents an archetype that has existed for centuries: the working man.

I chose to doctor this photo because of how familiar the concept is; after all, working men are ubiquitous. It’s a gender role we all generally accept, for without work there is no pay, and “money makes the world go ‘round”. But even though I accept that males are expected to assume this function, I feel that it doesn’t directly coincide with how I identify with my gender. I view my role as a male to be, yes, a worker, but also a provider and nurturer. I don’t get a job to sustain myself alone; I get one to provide a foundation for my family and future family. Even now, I constantly spend time with my siblings to make sure they’re well taken care of, and that’s exactly how it will be when I have my own kids. Being a man means working, but also serving other people.

At a glance, it’s pretty obvious what I did with the photo: each man is seen in the same physical position as before, but now interacting with a new object I photoshopped in. Lunch boxes have been replaced with colorful bags of diapers, drinks have been replaced with baby bottles, and some men even find themselves cradling children while others point out how precious they look.  This was meant to change how an observer perceives their facial expressions—rather than talking about work and lunch, the men now look like they’re talking about their families. I recognize that people might view this and think that I’m ironically reinforcing the stereotype that fathers are neglectful (since they’re willing to bring their children to such a dangerous environment), but I’m really trying to accomplish the opposite here. These men used to be hard workers taking a break from their labors for a bite of lunch. Now, they are fathers and family members thinking and talking about those they care about. In the end, I hope my alterations show the two sides what I identify as a man: a worker and a provider. There should be a balance between the two.