Aaron Siskind, Kentucky 1970

Editor: So, this is Carl Chiarenza's photograph, "Aaron Siskind, Kentucky." The mood feels almost accidental, like catching a moment in someone's day. What do you see here? Curator: It's a layered portrait, isn't it? Siskind, framed by… well, what *are* those organic shapes on the wall? They echo, almost mock, the solidity of his figure. Editor: They look like Rorschach blots! Curator: Precisely! Chiarenza, ever the playful trickster, presents us with Siskind *and* a visual test of perception. Is Siskind seeing something we aren't, or are we just seeing what *we* want in this staged moment? Editor: That's a cool way to think about it – a photo *about* seeing. Curator: Exactly! Photography, like memory, is always partly invention.