For me, Anthony Jacobus’ “Silence!” series starts with this portrait of a woman in period costume. The greys and whites take on linear and swirling shapes; the clash between young and old is nowhere more evident than in her youth and the decayed panel behind her. She doesn’t look defeated or exhausted to me – she seems searching. Sometimes we find chairs, places that define how we sit, uncomfortable. She could care less about her dress and seems comfortable enough. Are those red lines puppet strings or projecting outward? We might say she’s waiting for what’s next, that she has been defeated, that she is trapped in conventionality. I’m not the best at reading body language and tend to think more positively about people under duress. Sometimes silence conceals the strength of human nature.

Jacobus’ work is at http://madhatterphotography.com – he was a joy to talk to when I met him at the Art N Form gallery in Fort Worth. Many thanks to Trevor and Marina for their patience with me while we were there.