Dance, American Legion, Bangor, Pennsylvania 1979

Larry Fink took this photograph, Dance, American Legion, Bangor, Pennsylvania, and right away I’m thinking about what it feels like to be in a crowded room. The image feels so accidental, so found. Was Fink looking for something when he made it? I’m drawn to the man at the center, his expression seems so unresolved. He feels slightly out of place, and yet completely himself. I can imagine he’s thinking, "What am I doing here?" or maybe he's just observing. What’s really great about photography is how it captures a moment. It can freeze all the weirdness and ambiguity of life into one picture. Fink lets the grit of the scene come through; it’s not overly posed or cleaned up. He reminds us that life is messy, full of strange encounters, and often hilarious. He creates a sense of connection to a shared, human experience. He is working in the tradition of artists like Nan Goldin and Diane Arbus. He is reminding us of the power of art to reflect life back at us, unvarnished.