La Mujer Murciélago (Bat Woman) 1993

Yolanda Andrade made this photograph, La Mujer Murciélago, or Bat Woman, at some point in her career. It’s all about contrasts. This image is really about the details. Look at the way the light catches the lace of her lingerie and the texture of her fishnet stockings, contrasted with the industrial, almost architectural lines of the bat wings behind her. There’s a play between vulnerability and strength in her pose, her arms raised, almost challenging you, yet there’s a softness to her gaze. Those wings, they're not feathers, they’re more like a prop, adding a layer of performance to the whole thing. Think about Diane Arbus. There’s a similar kind of honesty, a lack of judgment, and a real interest in capturing people as they are, in all their complicated glory. It’s about seeing, really seeing, beyond the surface.