Untitled, Washington, D.C. c. 1982 - 1989

Editor: Joseph Mills captured this evocative photograph, "Untitled, Washington, D.C." sometime between 1982 and 1989. It's a really arresting image; there's something about the intimacy combined with the anonymity of the subject that just sticks with you. What do you see in this piece? Curator: Oh, this photograph hums with the quiet realities of city life, doesn’t it? The way the light etches itself onto the figure, sprawled in repose...almost Christ-like in its vulnerability. I can practically smell the city's grit. It’s interesting, the hand reaching out toward the viewer, seemingly frozen in time. Is it reaching for help? Is it a warning? What do you think? Editor: It definitely feels like there's a story behind it, though we only get a fragment. It feels kind of sad, actually. Almost confrontational, too, given the stark contrasts and the pose. Is that a typical perspective in street photography? Curator: I think the magic here, really, lies in the layers. Street photography, at its best, invites you into a shared, public experience that still manages to feel deeply private. Mills has done that expertly. Think about the political landscape of D.C. then – the promises and the realities rubbing shoulders. It makes you wonder about the man’s story, and it pushes you to consider his life. What did he see every day? Where was he going? The questions themselves become the art, almost. Editor: It’s true, it really does invite reflection. It makes you wonder about so many things. Curator: And that's the beauty of it, isn't it? We’re left with an image and an echoing silence, leaving us to find the poetry ourselves.