West 28th Street, 1995
Gelatin silver print
Image: 13 ¾ × 17 ¼ in.
Sheet: 16 × 20 in.
Edition 15
June 2, 2025
Riders of the New York City subway will instantly recognize the framing device in this photograph. Shooting from the 28th Street platform, Japanese photographer Kazuo Sumida used his view through the window of a train door to create an image that borders on the surreal. A curious feature of this picture is that it doesn't become any less mysterious the longer one looks—the exact nature of the embrace seen here is never quite clear. The resulting image speaks to photography's ability to take a fleeting, minor moment and render it as an enduring and evocative gesture.
