New York City 1998

Michael Ackerman shot this photograph in New York City, using black and white film. The image is a study in motion, with blurred figures in the background contrasting with the sharp focus on the woman’s face. I imagine Ackerman wandering the streets, camera in hand, on the lookout for these chance encounters. I wonder if he felt a sense of kinship with his subject, both of them moving through the chaos of the city. There’s a dreamlike quality to the image; the way the background dissolves suggests a world in constant flux. The woman's gaze is intense, like she's searching for something or someone, or maybe lost in thought. Painters are always looking at photographs and photographs are always referencing paintings. Think of Gerhard Richter’s blurred figures, which are similar to this. Artists are in conversation with each other and the world, drawing inspiration from the everyday. There's an honesty in the way Ackerman captures the vulnerability of being human. It’s a reminder that art can be found in the most unexpected places.