Miller-Sabatine Graduation Party, Martins Creek, Pennsylvania 1977

Larry Fink's photograph, Miller-Sabatine Graduation Party, Martins Creek, Pennsylvania, freezes a moment in time with a grainy, high-contrast black and white. This aesthetic isn't just a style choice; it's a way of seeing, a method of capturing the grit and realness of the scene. The starkness of the image pulls you into the texture, especially in the way the light catches the woman's floral dress, and illuminates the edges of the man's weary face at the table. A closer look reveals the depth of each shadow, the glint of light on the glasses, the way Fink leaves nothing unobserved. Fink’s work reminds me of Diane Arbus, in that both artists share a commitment to showing us the unvarnished truth. Both artists embrace the oddness and awkwardness of real life, reminding us that art doesn't always have to be pretty to be powerful. It’s about embracing the multiple ways of seeing, thinking, and feeling our way through the world.