Untitled 1991

Curator: Thomas Roma's photograph, simply titled "Untitled," from 1991. It’s a gelatin silver print that really captures a moment laden with…complexity. Editor: Whoa. My gut reaction? The guy on the floor – is he alright? I mean, talk about a visual contradiction; it's like a stage play but raw and unrehearsed. Curator: Exactly! Roma often explored the intersections of faith and daily life, particularly within Brooklyn's Black community. This image speaks volumes about performativity within religious spaces. Consider the preacher at the pulpit, the fallen congregant – what narratives are at play here concerning race, class, and spiritual experience? Editor: Narratives for days! Is it a literal collapse? Or is this some sort of…ecstatic release? That black and white—so stark—just amplifies the tension. I bet that the photographer wasn't expecting such strong reactions when they documented this scene. I think that many artists can definitely relate with them in one way or another. Curator: Precisely! It's hard not to consider the politics embedded in documenting such a scene. Whose story gets told and how? The social realism aspects clash intriguingly with the portrait elements. Roma walks a fine line, prompting viewers to consider our own positionality and privilege in viewing these images. We ask: are we witnesses or voyeurs? Editor: That’s the thing, right? Is Roma showing or telling? The composition…that stark diagonal, from the man’s body up to the cross…is undeniably powerful. It could mean ten different things at once. It’s that unsettling ambiguity that grabs you by the shirt collar. It reminds me of when a scene leaves us heartbroken while at the same time grateful to see it—such powerful photos leave strong memories to behold, don't they? Curator: Definitely a complex moment captured with depth and nuance. We need more work like this in the conversation. Editor: True. It’s a picture that refuses to let you off easy. That’s when you know art’s doing its job.