Mexican Journey

Merton E. Brown

1954

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A black and white photograph featuring a perspective view of a long corridor in a historic prison. There are multiple metal grill doors on either side of the corridor. In the center a man is standing in front of a tripod with his top half covered by a dark fabric, possibly looking through a camera. Behind him a rectangular briefcase sits against the wall. The title indicates the man is Aaron Siskind, taking a photograph in the Old Yuma Jail.
Landscape with sun-bathed lake and wooded shores
El Umbral (Threshold), Manuel Álvarez Bravo, Portfolio published by Acorn Editions Limited, gelatin silver print
Four men of varying heights wearing dark suits, white shirts, dark ties, and fezes embellished with the insignia of the Ancient Arabic Order of the Nobles of the Mystic Shrine—commonly known as the Shriners—stand side by side, singing in four-part harmony as the title implies. Their shadows are cast against a backdrop depicting three pyramids and two camels, which speaks to the fraternal order’s taste for Middle Eastern trappings. Grant Wood reportedly sang in a Shrine quartet himself.