Composite Woman 2015

Babak-Matveev made this large photograph called Composite Woman in 2014. The whole image is soft, blurry and out of focus, an aesthetic choice that makes it feel almost like a dream. The color palette is really restrained, just browns, creams, and whites. It gives the picture a kind of sensual intimacy, like you're seeing something up close and personal, but also obscure, like you're not supposed to be seeing it. I’m drawn to the subtle gradations of tone, the way the light seems to caress the surfaces. Look at the gentle curve of the shoulder, or whatever that is! This emphasis on softness and light calls to mind early photography, maybe something by Julia Margaret Cameron. There's something very knowing in the way the artist uses focus to create this sense of mystery and longing. It's like, what is being hidden is just as important as what is being shown. It’s really thought provoking.