Angola, Louisiana 11 - 1999

Deborah Luster made this image, Angola, Louisiana, using a process that gives it a sepia tone, like an old memory. The image-making itself becomes part of the story. The way the light falls, soft and diffused, makes you feel like you’re looking at something both present and past. It’s the kind of light that smoothes things out. It's not as if the photograph is really soft, but the process almost gives a feeling of that, like a wash that has been applied to an image. Look at the figures, their faces are right there, but there is also an element of loss in the piece. The people are there, but the image is historical. That sepia tone becomes a filter, reminding us that history is always mediated. It’s a poignant reminder that art isn’t just about seeing but about feeling and remembering, and that the tools we use shape the stories we tell. Think about the work of Dawoud Bey, for example, who also grapples with the past and the present in his portraiture. He, too, has found a way to speak about the past that feels both urgent and tender.