Buenos Aires, 2005, off the Diagonal Possibly 2005 - 2014

Leo Rubinfien made this photograph, Buenos Aires, 2005, off the Diagonal, using a camera of course, but also light. It’s a classic head and shoulders shot, beautifully composed in black and white, where the real subject seems to be about the city itself. Look at the way Rubinfien uses focus to pull our attention. The man’s face is sharp, every line etched into his skin telling a story. But behind him, the city blurs, becoming a hazy backdrop of light and shadow. You get a sense of the city humming, but you're grounded in the reality of this guy, right here, right now. The wall beside him is papered with announcements, an accretion of time and information, a counterpoint to the man’s own aging face. This reminds me of the work of Garry Winogrand, where the street is a stage and everyone is acting out their part. The artist is just there to capture it, unposed, unrehearsed, and utterly real. Rubinfien isn't offering answers, just moments, fragments of a larger, ongoing narrative.