Jerusalem, 2005, on the Tel Aviv Highway Possibly 2005 - 2014

Leo Rubinfien made this photograph, Jerusalem, 2005, on the Tel Aviv Highway. Look at this kid's eyes! They're totally locked in on you. The black and white gives everything a real directness, no messing around. The whole image is like a study in contrasts, from the smooth skin to the rough stripes of the shirt, the perfectly coiled sidelocks against the buzz cut. Each element is so carefully observed, which makes you wonder about the actual encounter. Was it fleeting or prolonged? Rubinfien reminds me a bit of Diane Arbus. Both have this way of capturing people in their most vulnerable, yet also most powerful, moments. It's about seeing, really seeing, the complexities of human existence, and letting that ambiguity shine through. There’s always more than one story here.