Peggy Levison Nolan Albany, New York, b. 1944

Peggy Levison Nolan is a renowned photographer and educator from Miami whose poetic images often depict family life. Commissioned by Martin Margulies, this photograph was part of a project to document Overtown by FIU photography professors. In Cat in Dump, there are a few moments of opposing imagery—peeling paint next to fresh paint and urban detritus near lush palm trees. Most notably, the gentle pose of orange cat sitting on a window sill coupled with the discarded couches and appliances gives the image a domestic feeling despite the presence of garbage and debris. The combination of chaos and harmony is a unique characteristic of Nolan’s photographs, a balance that she effortlessly achieves in her images.