George Meche, Angola, Louisiana 19 - 1999

Deborah Luster made this arresting photograph, “George Meche, Angola, Louisiana,” using the 19th-century process of tintype. Imagine the artist in her darkroom, breathing in the sharp smells, coaxing the image from the chemicals. I wonder what it was like for George to sit for her, and how long he had to stay still? There's a directness in his gaze that feels like a challenge, but the way his hands are posed is like a fragile question. I find myself leaning in close. I’m looking for more information. I’m curious about the way the photograph is toned. The high contrast and the warm yellow palette push it toward abstraction. In this way, the work reminds me a little of paintings by Lynette Yiadom-Boakye. There’s a connection through the way both artists create a charged space. They give us enough information to make a character, but they hold back enough to allow the imagination to roam.