LARRY CLARK (1943)
BILLY MAN TULSA, 1968 silver print, printed later signed, dated and numbered '42/400' in pencil on verso edition of 400 this print is sold unframed
Larry Clark, Tulsa, 1971, cover, n.p. Michelle Bogre, "Larry Clark", American Photographer, no. 17, October 1986, pp. 68-74. Anna Tellgren, Photography from the Moderna Museet Collection, Stockholm, 2011, no. 90, n.p.
The black-and-white photograph captures a raw and intimate moment that defines the character of the entire series. In the image, a young, shirtless man named Billy is seated casually on a bed, his legs crossed. He is in the middle of a mundane act, pulling a sock onto his foot.Larry Clark, Tulsa, 1971, cover, n.p. Michelle Bogre, "Larry Clark", American Photographer, no. 17, October 1986, pp. 68-74. Anna Tellgren, Photography from the Moderna Museet Collection, Stockholm, 2011, no. 90, n.p.
However, the scene is instantly transformed by the object he holds in his other hand: a revolver. His gaze is not directed at the camera but is fixed with a contemplative intensity on the firearm, creating a powerful sense of quiet introspection. The composition juxtaposes the ordinary, vulnerable act of dressing with the stark, unsettling presence of the gun, infusing the private moment with a sense of latent tension and danger.
This image is considered iconic because it distills the essence of Larry Clark’s work—a raw, unflinching, and almost cinematic portrayal of American youth culture. It captures a slice of life where vulnerability and recklessness coexist, forcing the viewer to confront a world that is both uncomfortably real and deeply human.
