Gumercindo Lisboa Supports his Family by Working as a Migrant Laborer on Paolo's Farm near the Grande Sertão Veredas National Park, Brazil Possibly 1999 - 2001

Fazal Sheikh made this photograph of Gumercindo Lisboa, a migrant worker in Brazil. It's monochrome; the tones create a limited palette, so the subject is rendered in a way that has a tactile, sculptural quality. Look closely at the texture of his skin. Each wrinkle and pore tells a story of lived experience. You can almost feel the roughness and resilience, and sense the physical demands of his labor. Notice the way the light catches in his eyes, lending a sense of depth and intensity to his gaze. It's a quality that encourages contemplation. The directness of Sheikh’s portraiture reminds me of the stark realism in the early photographs of August Sander, who sought to document the German people. Ultimately, the way this image makes you feel is a result of a conversation between artist and subject. There's ambiguity here, in the meeting of these two people, and how the encounter is preserved.