Faces #9 1998

Vibeke Tandberg made this photographic print, Faces #9, without telling us when, or how. I love that ambiguity! The color palette in this work is fascinating; the world is rendered in muted tones. It is as if the brightness has been turned down, focusing our attention on the details of the subject’s face. The texture of the photographic paper adds a tactile dimension, inviting us to reach out and touch, almost to confirm its reality. Look closely at the way the light falls across the subject’s brow. See how it catches the subtle nuances of expression? It's like a painter carefully layering brushstrokes to build form and depth. Like a photographer controls the light to sculpt the image. Tandberg seems to be in conversation with artists like Nan Goldin, who also capture intimate moments. Art's always talking to itself, isn't it? There's no one "right" way to see it, just different paths to wander down.