Untitled 

This untitled photograph by Miguel Rio Branco is rendered in black and white. It appears to have been captured with a traditional film camera, a technology which gives this image its stark contrast. Consider the materiality of the doors in the image. They're made of heavy wood, possibly reclaimed, with rugged metal hardware and reinforced panels. The surfaces are worn down and weathered, bearing visible scars that narrate its history. This photograph immortalizes the texture of their craft. The heavy cotton sack the figure is carrying is also a sign of manual labor, the weight of its content adding literal and metaphorical weight to the scene. Rio Branco's choice of materials and focus on labor underscores the importance of context in understanding the narrative. It challenges the traditional distinction between high art and craft, reminding us that the beauty and significance can be found in the everyday.