Angola, Louisiana 4 - 1999

This haunting photographic plate was made by Deborah Luster, who was born in 1951. Look at the sepia tones, the starkness, and the deep shadows. It feels like a relic from another time, doesn't it? I can imagine Luster in the darkroom, carefully manipulating the chemicals, coaxing this image into being. What was she thinking, what was she feeling, as the face emerged from the darkness? There is something incredibly direct about this portrait. The sitter's gaze is steady and unflinching. It reminds me of the daguerreotypes of the 19th century, but with a contemporary sensibility. Painters and photographers are always in conversation, borrowing from each other, pushing the boundaries of representation. Luster’s work is a reminder that images have the power to connect us across time, and to provoke empathy and understanding.