Shirley Kendrick, St. Gabriel, Louisiana 30 - 1999

Editor: Here we have Deborah Luster’s gelatin-silver print, "Shirley Kendrick, St. Gabriel, Louisiana" from 1999. There's a warmth to this portrait, but also a feeling of… almost austerity? What's your take? What stands out to you? Curator: It's a portrait steeped in the physicality of making. Consider the gelatin-silver print process. The labor involved in creating this image, the handling of chemicals, the precise timing - it speaks to a specific relationship between Luster and her subject. It moves beyond a simple photograph. Editor: So, you're saying the method adds another layer? Curator: Absolutely. The use of gelatin-silver, a process rooted in historical photographic practices, is vital. Luster is consciously engaging with the history of portraiture, the ways in which individuals, especially marginalized communities, have been represented, and, crucially, the labor embedded within this specific image. How do we understand Kendrick’s labour versus the photographer's in creating this image? Editor: That makes me consider her clothing too. Her uniform designates her profession. Do you think that the portrait's realism can address race or gender issues? Curator: I believe it's a direct comment on the realities of labor, specifically domestic and service labor, which are often invisibilized or devalued, especially performed by Black women. The "contemporary" stamp means she takes that historical lineage into account, in her approach of presentation. What is luxury? Is it the end result of dining, or can luxury also be the labor and presentation as a dignified photography, as evidenced in Luster's art? Editor: I never really thought about a portrait involving work. It sheds light on more than just the individual, but their circumstances as well. Curator: Precisely! And this changes the value of it, as more than decorative work. I appreciate this deeper reading and understanding you have explored through it.