Russian Ball, New York City 1976

Larry Fink made this photograph, Russian Ball, New York City with, I presume, a camera, and what’s interesting is how he’s used the full tonal range of black and white to set a mood. The blacks are deep and velvety, while the whites almost glow. Look at the woman’s dress, how it almost blends into the background, but then your eye snags on the fluffy trim on her sleeve - kind of absurd and beautiful at the same time. And then you see the man in his perfectly tailored suit. The way Fink captures the textures, the sheen of the fabric, the almost papery quality of their skin, you can almost feel the air of privilege and formality. It reminds me a little bit of Diane Arbus, that same fascination with capturing people in their most vulnerable, but also their most performative moments. Both of them seem to say that art is really an ongoing conversation. A back and forth, a push and pull of ideas across time.