Kashhila-Wishham 1909

This photograph, Kashhila-Wishham, was made by Edward S. Curtis, and it's a sepia-toned world. It feels like a moment suspended in time, doesn’t it? I'm struck by the texture Curtis coaxes out of his medium. The soft focus makes everything feel like it's emerging from a dream. The way the light catches the young person's high cheekbones and beaded necklaces gives them an otherworldly, almost ethereal quality. I imagine Curtis, hidden under the dark cloth of his camera, carefully composing each shot, thinking about the weight of history, and the cultural traditions he's trying to document. There's a real sense of care and attention in his work, and his own presence in the making of this portrait. It makes me think about how we, as artists, are always in dialogue with the past, building upon and responding to the work of those who came before us. We all leave our own mark on the conversation.