Alan Belcher 1986

This black and white photograph is of Alan Belcher, by David Robbins. It captures the subject in a straightforward, almost classical pose. Yet, it's the gaze that holds our attention. The direct, engaging look is a motif that stretches back through portraiture—from ancient Roman busts to Renaissance paintings. But here, the context shifts. In an age of mass media, the gaze becomes a commodity, a performance. Think of the way actors in early cinema used their eyes to captivate audiences, creating a sense of intimacy despite the distance. This photo engages with that history, but with a modern twist. There's a self-awareness in Belcher's expression, a sense that he's both playing the role of the subject and commenting on it. This interplay between sincerity and artifice creates a tension, inviting us to consider how we construct and consume images of ourselves and others. It's a cyclical process—a constant negotiation between past and present.