"I shot this from Eva Konikoff's window in 1949. I knew Eva because we were both studying with Sid Grossman. She had moved in high cultural circles in Helsinki, bit in New York that meant nothing, so she had a hard working job in the garment district. A fine, bony, loud-voiced, cheerful woman. She had married a computer programmer with a photo hobby, and as often happens, from being a darkroom widow, she quickly became a much better photographer than he, and they split up, probably for other reasons. She liked to quote a compliment from a child: "Eva, you have such beautiful small red eyes."
So why don't I write about the picture? Because I think it conveys enough about what it shows and nothing about itself, and needs no explaining: it's all right there. Eva is more interesting to write about."
Clearly one of David's favorite pictures. He sent me a copy early in our 'deal' and I've seen it a number of times in things he's written and talked about.
Interesting to me that so far what I've seen of his best work seems to have come about while he was studying with Grossman. I have to wonder what impact working with a teacher you admire, like David did Grossman, has on the work you produce. Clearly, in David's case it was an important relationship. We'll see if Grossman's impact stays with David for the rest of his working time or if other influences take over. Stay tuned.
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