New York 1987

Curator: Looking at Rosalind Solomon’s stark, monochromatic photograph “New York,” created in 1987, I’m immediately struck by the intimacy, the direct gaze of the sitter, and the textured layering within a small domestic space. Editor: Intimacy is definitely there. There's a palpable unease in this domestic sphere; the tight crop exaggerates the slightly out-of-kilter details and intensifies the melancholic mood. Curator: Solomon often delves into the complexities of identity and social dynamics. Considering the subject’s posture and appearance, his black eye perhaps indicates some social transgression and a possible crisis around gender and the rigid boundaries imposed upon it, as well as their relationship to societal violence and marginalization. It feels like an exposure of vulnerability. Editor: Exposure, yes. The composition is interesting, formally, in how Solomon uses chiaroscuro; the contrast emphasizes lines and shape over the specific, like the light catching on the curve of the lamp or the tension of the curtains as counterpoints to the sitter's softness. This all suggests a reading more towards classic portraiture, almost a Manet. Curator: Absolutely. However, it is still photography; let’s consider Solomon's deliberate choices with her tools. What film was used? What was the developing process to achieve such a rich tonal range, especially in the darks and brights? Editor: Technique aside, consider the details as signifiers: the icon on the wall, the stuffed animal. Do they create another dimension for analyzing class and queer desire, or gender fluidity beyond simple identity constructs? How is it working as a narrative for a specific community? Curator: A point well taken. Solomon challenges traditional portraiture through honest representations. This photo exists beyond binaries, exploring the textures of lived experience. We might wonder about the impact that her photographic methods had within artistic labor practice at the time. Editor: Regardless, it's impossible not to be drawn into the emotional truthfulness, its carefully constructed world of sharp edges, domestic props and palpable emotions that remains present across the decades.