New York City Possibly 1970 - 1981

Larry Fink made this photograph, New York City, sometime in the late 20th century. It’s a gelatin silver print, which means that the image is built up from layers of silver salts, giving it a really gorgeous tonal range, like a symphony of greys. I love how Fink gets up close and personal with his subjects. In this image, we're right in the middle of a crowded party, surrounded by bodies in tuxedos and cocktail dresses. Look at the way the light catches the pearls of the woman on the left, or the shiny material of the tuxedo. There is a real sense of texture, almost like you could reach out and touch them. Fink's work reminds me a little of Diane Arbus, who also had a knack for finding beauty and intrigue in everyday life. But unlike Arbus, Fink seems less interested in the freakish or the bizarre, and more interested in capturing the humanity of his subjects. Ultimately, Fink seems to suggest that art is about embracing ambiguity, about finding beauty and meaning in the most unexpected places.