Pat Sabatine's Twelfth Birthday Party, Martins Creek, Pennsylvania 1981

Larry Fink made this gelatin silver print, "Pat Sabatine's Twelfth Birthday Party, Martins Creek, Pennsylvania" sometime in the late twentieth century. The image is captured in shades of grey, with the soft glow of light creating subtle contrasts. It’s really a study in how to see, in seeing what’s there. Here, the subject's hand delicately holds a patterned curtain, and the wall has a palpable texture. It’s hard to know exactly how the photographer took the picture, the softness of the light, and the intimate access. The hand is so detailed, and so beautiful. The photograph invites us to examine the quiet moments of everyday life. Fink’s photographs share a kinship with artists like Nan Goldin, who also explored the intimacy and rawness of human experience through their work. Like a painting, this photograph embraces ambiguity, inviting multiple interpretations and a deeply personal connection with the viewer.