Angola, Louisiana 9 - 1999

This photograph, titled 'Angola, Louisiana,' by Deborah Luster, immortalizes a moment through the intimate lens of early photographic processes. The sepia tones evoke a sense of history, the image looking as if it were pulled from a dusty archive. The subject, adorned with multiple watches, seems to be challenging our perception of time itself. Look at the way his hand is positioned; it is so open and vulnerable. It feels like Luster is saying something about how we all perform our identities, while also asking, what is it like to be seen? The darkness surrounding him isn’t empty; it feels heavy with stories untold, a backdrop against which his humanity shines. Luster’s work reminds me of Dawoud Bey’s, in their shared commitment to portraying individuals with dignity and depth. They both invite us to reconsider how we look, who we see, and what stories we choose to remember.