The Birthday Party 1992

This photograph is called The Birthday Party and was made by Nancy Andrews, who was born in 1963. I think about her capturing this moment in time. A group of family members are captured around a birthday cake, waiting for the candles to be blown out, they create a sense of togetherness, of love and laughter. You can almost hear their voices and the anticipation of what's to come. The composition is intimate, drawing you into the personal space of the scene. In my work, I'm often thinking about how we can show, how we feel, and what it's like to live in these moments. I'd imagine Nancy was trying to do the same here. The way Andrews positions the subjects invites us to reflect on the relationships between the sitters. How does it connect to the larger traditions of photography and portraiture? How does this family scene resonate with the universal human experience of family gatherings and celebrations? Each artist continues to influence the next, just as we influence each other.