American Grotesque
This large print arrived at the studio a few years ago thru the mail. It was from someone (I can’t recall who, but it wasn’t the photographer) whom I asked to ‘send something interesting’ as part of a poster trade.
I don’t know who shot this remarkable photograph or anything else definitive about it, but I can infer—based on the image—that this was taken during the construction of one of the World Trade Towers; I’m guessing in 1970 (when the North Tower topped out). I could be wrong, but it looks like these brave gentlemen are putting the finishing touches on the antenna spire, which would have put them at a stomach churning 1,727 ft (526.3 m) above Manhattan.
In an alternate universe somewhere, the photographer was awarded a Pulitzer for this photograph; or its a postage stamp; or a song has been written about one of these guys; or at the very least, it has it’s own wiki page.
UPDATE: More information here, scroll down to the comments. The iron worker mooning the world was a man named Lyle James Griffin. via @youngjerks
ANOTHER UPDATE: @mattdorfman was the source and the photographer was Peter B. Kaplan.
