Angola, Louisiana 3 - 1999

Deborah Luster made this evocative portrait, Angola, Louisiana, using the wet plate collodion process. Just imagine, in this day and age, using such an antique method! Deborah has committed to an art that takes real time. Looking at it, I’m reminded of painting, especially portraiture: it’s about time and process. The artist is saying: I am going to sit with you and really look at you, and make something that lasts. I wonder what it was like for the sitter. He stands in front of a black backdrop and is caught in the amber of the photograph. His features are slightly blurred around the edges, as if he’s in motion. This feels like a quiet exchange between sitter and artist, caught in a particular moment in time but also somehow timeless. It's a piece that speaks to me of patience, presence, and connection, all held within the delicate surface of the plate.