Tuan Tran, Angola, Louisiana 24 - 1999

Deborah Luster made this ambrotype, a photograph on glass, of Tuan Tran, in Angola, Louisiana. This piece is drenched in a yellowed light which gives it a timeless quality, and speaks to the rich tradition of portraiture, even within a contemporary setting. The surface has imperfections and blemishes, giving it a sense of tactile history, like an object that has aged over time, each mark telling a story. The composition is straightforward and earnest, Tuan stands with his arms crossed, gazing directly at us. The image has a formal quality to it, but the texture and light give it a tender quality. This reminds me of the documentary work of someone like Diane Arbus, in the sense that it captures the sitter with a certain kind of unflinching honesty. It's a reminder that art isn't just about perfect representation, but about revealing something deeper about our shared human experience.