Alex Johnson, Angola, Louisiana 24 - 1999

This image, "Alex Johnson, Angola, Louisiana" by Deborah Luster, captures a moment in time on a small plate, about 5 x 4 inches. It's striking how Luster coaxes so much information and feeling out of a seemingly simple composition, with a creamy yellow wash over the image. I imagine Deborah Luster in Louisiana, setting up her camera in the sweltering heat of the American South. The act of photographing becomes a testament to place, time, and personhood. She must have been thinking about how to capture the essence of Alex, the mules, and the history ingrained in this land. The photograph itself feels like a physical object, carrying the weight of its own making. It reminds me of other artists using photography to engage with social issues and narratives, like Dawoud Bey, using the wet plate collodion process. It’s this ongoing exchange and exploration of ideas and techniques that keeps art alive, each artist building on the work of those who came before, pushing the boundaries of what's possible.