Untitled (Woman with hands over face in field) c. 1950s

This photograph, made by an anonymous artist, captures a woman with hands over her face in a field. It's like a still from an old movie, all blurry and soft and grey. The process of photography is right there on the surface – that slight blur is like a painter’s gesture. Look at the way the light catches her arms, that soft curve, and the dark shadow of her hands. The texture of the grass is almost a blur; the background has this amazing depth to it. It feels like the photographer let the camera do its thing, embracing the imperfections. It's like they chose not to polish things up, and I think that adds to the emotion. That gesture, of covering the face, it’s a universal thing. It reminds me of some of Francesca Woodman's photos, that same raw, vulnerable feeling. But, there's also a real strength in it. It feels like a moment of turning inward, which, as artists, is where we have to go to make anything.