Untitled 1992

Curator: Immediately, I see a quiet moment, but there is also an implied intensity in the gestures. Editor: Let's take a look at Thomas Roma's "Untitled" photograph, a gelatin silver print from 1992. The artwork draws upon portraiture conventions, and contemporary photographic style, showcasing the talent of Roma and the presence of african-art at the time. Curator: The tambourine and raised hands suggest worship or a performance of some kind. There is something about the hands that draws my eyes. Look how carefully the individuals seem to hold their hands out. Is that offering? Is it praise? Or both? Editor: Knowing Roma's deep engagement with the communities he photographed, particularly in Brooklyn, the image vibrates with layers of cultural performance. There is a reading in the setting, which looks to be either a church basement or a social hall. Curator: Indeed. Visually, I'm drawn to the lettering in the background -- "Rise and Go Forth." Words of affirmation and resilience seem integral. But the overall image also strikes me with a tension of mundane details, an ordinary room in stark monochrome, with its chairs. All of these objects are offset against individuals seemingly captured mid-motion during this spiritual ascension. Editor: Right, and it brings us to Roma's practice during the time, during which the relationship between photography and African-American identity and visibility was being fiercely debated in academia and art. His work contributes to larger conversations about representation and social justice, with the performative gestures hinting at active negotiation within spaces and systems of power. The image captures more than an action. It’s evidence of existence. Curator: Considering the era and Roma’s aesthetic, the absence of color emphasizes textures, particularly of the individual's skin tones, also making it look stark. The use of monochrome intensifies focus onto social narratives of that time. The cultural moment hangs heavy. Editor: It does. For me, this photograph resonates with questions of collective memory and resilience and speaks to both the spiritual and the activist. Curator: The intersection of image and memory allows us to contemplate not only art's position but also the social and political significance held within these photographed subjects. Editor: Precisely, making us more informed witnesses.