Noah Purifoy, Sudden Encounter

A black-and-white installation photo of Noah Purifoy’s “Sudden Encounter,” a mixed media artwork from 1965. The artwork, in the foreground, is comprised of a broken pane of glass surrounded by a metal frame, which is set into the top of a wooden post. Beyond the sculpture, the far corner of a large room or gallery can be seen; the walls are covered in various works of art. On the left, a woman in a black dress and heels leans in to read the wall text. On the right, directly behind Purifoy’s sculpture, a white-haired man stands with his hands on his hips, his back to the camera.