There is no looking past B. J. Robinson’s disability in
George Dureau’s carefully composed portrait of his artistic collaborator and
friend. This direct photograph celebrates Robinson’s body, drawing attention to
its aesthetic form. His position, in profile, showcases the stability of his
sculpted arms, the long curve of his muscled shoulders, and the taut arch of his
back, forms that are echoed and emphasized in the shadows behind him. While
Robinson’s alluring features and direct gaze subtly suggest a poetic inner
character, the elements of the photograph accentuate the complexity and beauty of
his physical body.