Colombo, 2006, in Main Street, the Pettah Possibly 2006 - 2014

This black and white photograph was taken by Leo Rubinfien in 2006, on Main Street in the Pettah in Colombo. I like the directness, the way this man is looking at us, and the moment of connection captured, which is very difficult to do! The first thing I notice is the man’s expression: he’s got this serious, maybe even a little bit annoyed, look on his face, but there’s also a vulnerability there. And the way Rubinfien frames him, right in the middle of a busy street, surrounded by other people, but still so isolated. It makes you wonder what he’s thinking, what his story is. It almost feels like a painting because it’s like Rubinfien is asking us to really look, really see this person. There's something universally human that touches my heart. He could be anywhere and still be someone’s father, brother, son. Other artists similarly capture these moments, like Rineke Dijkstra and her portraits of teenagers on the beach, but the great thing about art is that it always finds new things to show us.