Bryan #2 2013

This photograph, "Bryan #2", was made by Jackie Nickerson, and the date it was made is unknown. The figure in this photograph is obscured by a large sack, and I imagine that Nickerson was interested in the way the bag shapes and hides the human form. The sack is such a strong presence, it almost takes on a life of its own, as if it were a sculpture. The picture is cool in tone, the figure is dark, cropped, and unidentifiable, adding to the sense of anonymity. I wonder what it was like to be Nickerson in that moment, seeing this scene unfold and capturing it with the camera. I'm interested in the way the photograph captures a moment of labor and the human condition. There is an honesty, a quiet dignity in this image of somebody going about their daily work. It reminds me a little bit of some of the paintings of Millet, who was also interested in the lives of rural workers. There is something powerful about seeing the ordinary elevated to the level of art.