Untitled 1987 - 1988

Curator: Welcome. Today, we'll be discussing an untitled gelatin-silver print by Rosalind Solomon, created between 1987 and 1988. Editor: My first impression is raw energy. The high contrast of the monochrome and the intense expressions of the figures... it’s palpable, almost unnerving. Curator: Indeed. Note how Solomon masterfully utilizes chiaroscuro. The harsh lighting sculpts the subjects' features, emphasizing the textures of skin, clothing, and drum hardware, all contained by the rectangular geometry of the frame. Editor: That's interesting because, for me, the photograph feels less about formal perfection and more about the environment it depicts—the late 80s music scene, possibly underground. The stark contrast highlights the subjects' weariness, maybe the struggle of making music. And who are these people? Are we looking at depictions of gender presentation? Curator: Such readings are certainly plausible, and of the period. Yet, the formal elements alone are arresting. Consider the composition, with its off-center placement of the main figure and the cropping that intensifies the sense of immediacy. The texture! Look at the grain in the print itself. Editor: Right, but consider the subtext—what were the prevalent socio-economic forces that shaped their circumstances? It seems crucial to remember that we bring contemporary theory into play when examining these images. Rosalind Solomon was known to take many pictures outside of her immediate setting, including overseas to countries such as South Africa and Peru during eras of political and social change, which ultimately impacts her work in this context, too. Curator: I appreciate the value of that point. The silver gelatin process itself—a process reliant on the manipulation of light and silver—echoes the thematic tensions present within the picture. It's about finding form through chemical reaction. Editor: Agreed. It’s a visual poem wrought from stark contrast, a testament to the vitality and volatility of music subcultures and people existing outside traditional definitions. It provokes a necessary dialogue. Curator: The intensity and dynamic range is what stays with me, however—a study in grayscale and considered construction. Editor: And for me, its complex intersection of visual rhetoric with subcultural identity keeps resonating.