Amman, 2007, in al-Shabsogh Street Possibly 2007 - 2014

Editor: Right, next up we have "Amman, 2007, in al-Shabsogh Street," a black and white photograph, a c-print by Leo Rubinfien, dating anywhere between 2007 and 2014. It feels intensely... human, doesn't it? So much character etched on those faces. What catches your eye here? Curator: Character indeed. For me, it's the way Rubinfien manages to capture this sense of everyday life, this moment in Amman, that feels both fleeting and deeply rooted. The tonal range is remarkable, look at how the light and shadow play across the faces, revealing stories. I get the sense of untold stories, almost as if the city itself is watching us back. Do you sense that connection to the street too? Editor: Absolutely! The framing is so tight, it's almost claustrophobic, pulling you right into the scene. But it also feels...intimate? Almost voyeuristic in a way. Curator: Precisely! It's a dance between being present and being an observer, a constant tension. And I think that tension, that ambiguity, is what makes the photograph so compelling. Consider, also, that monochrome can really strip the details back and let textures and the weight of history breathe into the print. Editor: That’s true! Now I can also sense the layered story, the way these details, these lives, build up a city's identity. A city I probably know little about. Curator: It’s more than a snapshot, it’s like a conversation sparked in a fleeting moment. An unspoken agreement of existing at the same place and the same time. Do you now get more of that feeling? Editor: For sure! Now, reflecting, it’s fascinating to observe the layers this seemingly straightforward image unravels – the city, the faces, the unspoken narratives. Curator: Yes! And sometimes it's that whisper that holds the loudest story, or is it only in my head? It all becomes one beautiful kaleidoscope.