Ralph Gibson

Ralph Gibson’s photographs have a dreamlike, disorienting quality which he reveals through his unique vision and printing style. This work, from the portfolio Déjà-vu, can be understood as a frame from a mysterious narrative sequence. Technically, he exploits the graininess that can result when 35mm negatives are enlarged, a technique also used by his mentor, Robert Frank. His framing deliberately obscures the face and leaves the body incomplete, while the use of light refracted through water further fragments the figure.