Mardi Gras Krewes, no. 3 1993

Nancy Andrews made this black and white photograph called Mardi Gras Krewes, no. 3, and what strikes me is the intimacy of the scene, the quiet concentration. I think of the tradition of portrait painting, how artists like Alice Neel captured not just a likeness, but the inner life of their subjects. I can almost feel the weight of that small glass in his hand. Is he putting on makeup, getting ready for the festivities? His focused expression suggests a ritual, a transformation. And who is the mannequin, so cool and self-contained? I imagine the artist carefully composing the shot, framing this moment of anticipation. It's a study in contrasts, the soft skin against the hard plastic, the man's vulnerability against the mannequin's studied gaze. Thinking about Andrews’ broader body of work, I see a deep interest in identity, in the ways we perform and present ourselves. Like a painter layering colors, she builds up a complex portrait of a community, one image at a time.