1. How the Other Half Lives
How the otherhalf lives. The title of the most famouswork of Jacob Riis isn’t written in an interrogatory form but as an affirmation.
He wanted to represent a social reality. The choice of this title categorizes
this work as a documentary. Riis goal to reform the social organization as well
as his consideration for the needs of the poorest, contribute to making this
work a social documentary. This work has to be analyzed with subjectivity and
taking into account the argumentative purpose of Riis work. Today we will
briefly present this work and analyze some of the most known pictures.
Jacob Riis works hard for an amelioration of housing
conditions, of public lightning, of sanitary equipment, the opening of public
gardens and playgrounds. In his work he addresses the middle class but also the
highest and richest part of New York’s population. His testimonial work had the
goal to raise awareness among the social groups living in very good conditions.
Amateur photographers like Dr John Nagle, Dr Henry G.
Piffard and Richard Hoe Lawrence teach him photographic technique. They also
participate in Jacob Riis shooting sessions. Here, the word “shooting” is very
appropriate. Riis is known for the use of the first flash systems that allows him
to capture images in very poor lightning situations. The lightning system of
that time is triggered by fire weapons that are fired by his friends while he
is taking the picture. This sometimes scares the persons he is photographing.
Later, once he will have used all his friends’ energy, he will take the
pictures alone, only using a frying pan where he deposits magnesium to replace
the flash.
He will take quite a few clichés and will present them to his photography club, in churches and
reformist groups…After one of these representations Jacob Riis will meet the
magazine editor of Scribner. The presentation How the other Half Lives will become a press article published in
December 1889. Riis will complete this work in order to publish his work under
the same title in November1890.
Riis work starts with these lines: “Long ago it was said
that ‘one half of the world does not know how the other half lives.’ That was
true then. It did not know because it did not care. The half that was on top
cared little for the struggles, and less for the fate, of those who were
underneath, so long as it was able to hold them there and keep its own seat.“
Long ago it was said that ‘one half of the world does not know how the other
half lives.’ That was true then. It did not know because it did not care. The
half that was on top cared little for the struggles, and less for the fate, of
those who were underneath, so long as it was able to hold them there and keep
its own seat.”
Published in eleven editions in five years, the book
will be very rapidly welcomed. The reputation of this book will be based on the
utilization of data collected by Dr Roger, in charge of Vital Statistics, (statistics
on living conditions in New York). Riis is known for the reliability of his work
as a journalist. Besides making observations, he proposes solutions to
improve the life of the concerned populations. Riis pictures contribute to
illustrate his statements and will make his book easier to read than any other
work on urbanism of that time.
2. Representation of broken souls in
their costume of dignity
Lodgers in Bayard Street Tenements of New York, Five
Cents au Spot, Jacob A. Riis, How the Other Half Lives : Studies Among the
Tenements of New York.
“Where Mulberry Streets turns brutally, some stones
away of Five Points depravation, we find “The Bend”, putrid heart of New York slums…The
Bend is unique and it is better like that. From mid-night to the early morning
we can hear the very loud strokes of the police at the doors (…) Doors opening
without any resistance…on scenes similar to the picture”. With these words,
Riis describes his photography and puts it in its context.
Here we can observe the living conditions of poor
workers. In the darkness of the night, they contact abusive landlords that let
people cram in very little spaces for 5 cts the night. The photography is taken
with a magnesium flash illuminating the walls and sheets. Faces are bloated
because of the lack of sleep. In order to take this picture, Riis is
accompanied by city police services. He enters in the middle of the
night violating the privacy of these men. Nevertheless they are represented in
a dignifying position. The camera is at the same height of their eyes and the
character sitting at the higher point is staring us down with his chain on his
fist, as a thinker.
In this very narrow space, we can clearly
distinguished six persons. We can also guess at least two other persons.
Hanging on the walls or piled up on the left side are all their belongings.
This picture is the testimony of these
men lives who can only afford this very poor accommodation.
Madona of the Slums, Jacob A. Riis, How the Other Half Lives : Studies
Among the Tenements of New York.
Even if Riis isn’t a professional artist and didn’t
took any art history class, he is inspired by classic symbolic. This Madona, reminds us The Crowlers of John Thomson. Here again we observe a picture taken
with a flash. The pose of this woman doesn’t seem very natural. Riis certainly
asked her to look up. She seems to be looking to the future with
the hope of being rescued.
The child also reminds us of this future. As every
newborn he is innocent and responds silently to the arguments of those who see
in poor people, lazy persons who deserved this fate. The hands of the woman,
who is certainly his mother, are disproportionate compared to the child body
and hers.
Lower East Side Tailor Shop, Jacob A. Riis, How the
Other Half Lives : Studies Among the Tenements of New York.
With this picture we will study another important
aspect of Riis work. His goal is to show poor people life not the way it
is imagined by privileged classes but the way it is lived by them. For example
we can see here in a very narrow space seven persons. The title indicates that
we are observing the life in a tailor’s boutique. This very little company
allows a group of persons to survive. If we compare it to the first image we
can imagine that those same persons sleep at night where the abusive landlords
put them.
Riis choice to photograph this individuals working is
very interesting. This image doesn’t show us beggars, but honest workers. We
are far from the bad image of poverty.
Child laborers working at a textile factory in good
‘ol Macon, Georgia, 1909, Jacob Riis.
This last
photography doesn’t appear in How the
Other Half Live, but is part of Riis latest work. This representation of
children working, very small in comparison with the machines they are using, reminds
us “Girl in a Cotton Mill” taken by Lewis
Hine in 1908. Riis ambition for a change doesn’t stop at fighting against
poverty in New York. He also is interested by another dramatic reality of his
time: child labor. We will develop this subject tomorrow by studying Lewis Hine
work.
Photo Humanis International - in English 