New York, 2004, at the Empire State Building Possibly 2004 - 2014

Leo Rubinfien made this photograph, New York, 2004, at the Empire State Building, and it's got this hazy, dreamy quality, like a memory half-forgotten. The color palette is soft, almost bleached out by the bright sky. It reminds me that artmaking is a lot like trying to capture something fleeting. I'm drawn to the way the light catches the woman's face. It's not a harsh light, but a gentle wash that softens her features and makes her look almost ethereal. The textures are so subtle, from the smooth metal bars of the Empire State Building to the wisps of hair blowing across her face. It's as if Rubinfien is inviting us to slow down and really see. Looking at this, I think of photographers like Nan Goldin, who also captured these intimate moments of everyday life, but Rubinfien does it with a quiet restraint, embracing the beauty of ambiguity.