De Panne, Belgium, August 7 1992 1992

Curator: Rineke Dijkstra's photograph, "De Panne, Belgium, August 7 1992," presents a young woman standing on a beach. What strikes you most about this image? Editor: The starkness. It’s like she's been dropped there, a little unsure, a little vulnerable. The high contrast is also doing something, amping up that solitary feeling. Curator: Dijkstra often focuses on adolescence and identity. This photograph could be interpreted through a lens of self-representation and the gaze, especially considering the history of women's portrayal in art. Editor: Absolutely, it’s like she's caught between being a girl and a woman, you know? The way she stands there, feet in the sand, almost defiant but hesitant at the same time. It's potent. Curator: Dijkstra’s work invites us to consider the complexities of representation. Editor: Yes, I find myself wondering, does she see herself, or does she see the idea of herself she has constructed for us?