St. Gabriel, Louisiana 27 - 2000

Editor: This photograph… it just whispers a story. A kid playing superhero on a rainy afternoon, maybe? Curator: Actually, this portrait is titled “St. Gabriel, Louisiana” by Deborah Luster, dating from 2000. Luster’s work frequently engages with themes of loss and visibility, particularly in the context of marginalized communities within the American South. She utilizes the historical photographic process of tintype, giving the image this distinctive, almost ghostly, quality. Editor: Ghostly is right. And there’s something defiant about it, too. Like, yeah, things are tough, but check out my cool outfit! The stars… the eye mask… is that a skeleton hand design on her shirt? Curator: The design indeed bears a resemblance to a stylized hand, perhaps a skeletal representation. Considering Luster's consistent focus on mortality, incarceration, and social injustice in Louisiana, where St. Gabriel Penitentiary is located, we can begin to consider deeper meanings. This seemingly innocent portrait may be making claims to survival, self-fashioning, and a commentary on identity. The subject appears as though an "everyday superhero" dressed for the occasion. Editor: So the “superhero” outfit isn’t just dress-up. It’s…armor? A way to face the world, to claim a power that maybe isn't always there? The gold-tinged light makes it seem both delicate and incredibly strong, which is kind of how I feel looking at her. Curator: Precisely. The use of tintype also connects the work to a historical tradition of portraiture of ordinary people seeking visibility and self-representation. We must remember, Luster's works give presence to people largely forgotten. By understanding these historical, social, and cultural threads interwoven into this photograph, we see it acts as a potent symbol for resilience, self-determination, and remembrance. Editor: So it's not just a snapshot; it's a statement. And it feels like one whispered directly to you, even though so many years have passed since it was taken. A statement of not only individual power, but community strength. It hits hard. Curator: Indeed. It demands we look beyond the surface, to grapple with the complexities of existence and the power of art to both reveal and console.