Untitled 1991

Thomas Roma, born in 1950, created this untitled gelatin silver print, capturing a scene laden with profound cultural and personal meaning. The photograph depicts several figures kneeling in prayer inside a church. Their bodies, draped in white robes, are bent over the pews in a gesture of supplication and reverence. Roma’s choice to focus on this subject matter invites us to consider the role of religious institutions within African American communities, particularly their historical significance as spaces of resistance, solidarity, and spiritual sustenance during times of oppression and marginalization. Here, Roma doesn’t just document a religious practice; he captures a moment of profound vulnerability and hope, a physical manifestation of faith that transcends the boundaries of the visible world.