The Brown Sisters, Truro, Massachusetts 2011

Nicholas Nixon made this photograph of the Brown sisters in Truro, Massachusetts. It's a gelatin silver print, a classic photographic process known for its rich tonal range. What's fascinating about this work is how Nixon uses a relatively straightforward technique to create a profound and ongoing project. Every year, he photographs the same four sisters in the same order, a commitment stretching back decades. The consistency of the medium, gelatin silver, is key. It provides a baseline against which we can measure the passage of time etched on the sisters' faces. The labor here isn't about complex manipulation but rather about patient, sustained attention. Each print is carefully considered, a testament to the enduring power of simple materials and processes when applied with dedication. This work challenges our notions of artistic skill. Nixon invites us to consider the art of seeing, of recording, and of bearing witness to the quiet transformations of life.