Alabama 2015

This image titled "Alabama" by Richard Ross shows a person sitting on a bed inside a prison cell. The unforgiving gaze of the lens captures the stark reality of confinement, where the textures of concrete walls meet the soft vulnerability of a human figure in an orange jumpsuit. I imagine Ross, the artist, positioning himself to capture the full weight of this scene – not just documenting, but feeling the claustrophobia himself. There is a direct line of inquiry between the artist's empathetic gaze and the viewer's emotional response. Ross's lens becomes a tool for social commentary. He captures not just the physical space but also the psychological terrain of incarceration. And like a Francis Bacon painting, the image embraces ambiguity, inviting us to bring our own stories and experiences.