Cassondra Levert, St. Gabriel, Louisiana 2 - 2001

Deborah Luster made this tintype image, *Cassondra Levert, St. Gabriel, Louisiana*, sometime after 1951, freezing a moment in time in metallic tones. It's on a small plate and the sepia tones feel both immediate and distant, kind of like memory itself. The material itself is so present. The image shimmers, but it’s a very subtle, subdued kind of shimmer. It’s not trying to dazzle you. The texture, that’s what gets me. You can sense the process, the alchemy of it all, in the way the light catches on the metal. Look at the sitter's dress, the way the light catches the fabric folds. It is almost sculptural. Luster's work often feels like a bridge to the past, like Sally Mann's, but with its own distinct voice. It's like she’s whispering stories that have been waiting to be heard. This piece reminds us that art isn't just about what you see, but also about what you feel, what you remember, and what you imagine.