Dave Anderson East Lansing, Michigan, b. 1970

Dave Anderson’s photographs from his Rough Beauty series were taken in Vidor, Texas, a town known for extreme poverty and racism as it was formerly the site of Ku Klux Klan activities. The reputation of the town and its isolation is in part what brought Anderson to Vidor, along with his insatiable desire to travel across the country on the road. While these photographs were taken almost 20 years ago, they resonate with contemporary issues of race, isolation, and poverty. The people of Vidor are adamant that the labels placed on them are not true to their actual character and that they are a kind, close-knit community. In June 2020, a Black Lives Matter group successfully staged a peaceful protest in the town. Ray Wilson is a portrait of a man sitting alone, smoking and drinking. The soft natural light from the window to his right illuminates his tired eyes and slumped shoulders. Dave Anderson met Ray Wilson by taking a photograph of a doll’s head on Ray’s property. Ray noticed Anderson through his home-made surveillance system, and they began talking. Anderson took this photograph in Ray’s home, carefully positioning him near the window to capture the delicate light.