Felton Williams, Angola, Louisiana 17 - 1999

Deborah Luster made this haunting portrait of Felton Williams, Angola, Louisiana, using a photographic process from another century. The amber tones and the way the shadows cling to the face, it’s like she’s painting with light. If you look closely, you can see the imperfections in the plate, little scratches that add to the feeling of something precious and fragile. Look at his eyes: they tell a story, don't they? There is something about the angle, the directness of his gaze, and the details of the knitted cap, that brings a contemporary feel to this historical process. It’s interesting to think about how the choices we make as artists – the techniques we use, the subjects we choose – all contribute to a conversation that spans across time.