Kids Blowing Bubbles

Armed with a tiny, motorized Leica camera, Den Nan-gwang had a knack for capturing intriguing scenes on the spur of the moment. His self-confidence, keen powers of observation, and well-honed technique all account for his deft "snapping" skills, the decisive factor in his lifetime of creative expression. The boy in the photo is intent on his work: To drum up business, he's blowing beautiful, shiny bubbles of all sizes, his brow, furrowed in concentration. The boy's intently focused gaze and the bubbles form an arc, directing the line of vision to another boy, wearing an expression of curiosity, in the upper right. The first boy is holding the rack with one hand and blowing bubbles with the other; his two hands, together with the plastic bags hanging on the rack and his shoulder bag, form crisscrossing lines—up, down, left, and right—balancing the photo with four "stimulation points," one in each corner of the work. The four points create tension, bringing equilibrium to the work, a tribute to Den's uncanny skills. In the 1950s, as Taiwan was still developing, entire families, adults and children, young and old alike, all strove to grow the family's savings, working hard together. Den Nan-gwang's photos impart a bittersweet aftertaste of that era.