Untitled (Woman with blank expression) c. 1960s

This small, square photograph of a woman with a blank expression was made by an anonymous artist. The tones are nicely modulated, so that what at first looks like a simple photo actually has a lot of subtle tonal information. The photograph's surface is matte, almost like it wants to absorb light. The grey tones of her skin and clothes are so incredibly complex and shaded, her face has a kind of topographical quality. The shadow that falls from her left cheek to her right, is very dramatic. I think of Diane Arbus, who was also interested in the human face and the capacity of photography to reveal the complexities and vulnerabilities we hide. This artist has done something similar, showing us a face that is both familiar and strange, a face that invites us to look closer and wonder about the story behind it. In the end, maybe that story is not something to be found, but something we invent.