Hollywood and Highland (#4) Possibly 1988 - 1994

Jim Goldberg's photograph, "Hollywood and Highland #4," captures a face, a moment, a whole world in shades of gray. It's all about light and shadow, the way they define the planes of his face, the set of his jaw, the fall of his hair. Look at the almost painful intensity in this person’s expression, that deep-set gaze drawing you in. There's this incredible texture in the grain of the photograph, a kind of grit that feels so human, so real. Goldberg plays with depth, blurring the background to keep our focus tight on the face. It’s like he's saying, "Pay attention, this is important." Think about the way Nan Goldin’s snapshots capture the fragility of human experience, or the intense gazes in Rineke Dijkstra’s portraits. Art is all about seeing, feeling, and then finding a way to make others see and feel it too. Goldberg nails it.