New York 1987

Rosalind Solomon made this gelatin silver print in New York. It's all in shades of grey and white, and it’s so full of texture and light. I can imagine Solomon in the darkroom watching the image emerge in the developing tray. I wonder what she was thinking when she was making this piece? Maybe she was experimenting with the way light falls on the subject's face, or the texture of the fabric in the background. The composition feels very intimate. The subject seems to be reaching out, making the viewer part of the story. There's a tradition of portraiture in photography, and Solomon is part of that ongoing conversation. Photography is like a dance with the subject, a way of capturing a moment, but also transforming it through the artist’s vision. It embraces a kind of ambiguity, allowing for multiple interpretations. You look at it, and you feel something. And that feeling is part of the art, too.