Lycée Hector Guimard, Paris, March 19, 1999 Possibly 1999 - 2000

Rineke Dijkstra made this photograph, *Lycée Hector Guimard, Paris, March 19, 1999,* with a camera in Paris. The way Dijkstra plays with light is so subtle. The whole image has this soft, almost diffused quality, like a memory, but it’s also crystal clear. I’m drawn to the way the background almost disappears, forcing you to focus on the figures. The boys' clothes are so specific - the textures and brands and colours – but somehow they’re also timeless. Look at the folds in the track suit, the way the light catches on the Timberland logo. The palette is muted and earthy, with splashes of white in the socks and sneakers. There's so much to look at, but it all adds up to this quiet sense of vulnerability. Dijkstra often captures her subjects in these in-between moments, on the cusp of something. Think of August Sander, but with a 90s twist. The beauty of her work lies in its ability to hold multiple truths at once. It's not about telling us what to think, but about inviting us to see and feel.