Roberta Margolis
Balanced 2
Balance in my life has had different meanings to me over the years. When young, balance between my family and my growing independence was central. As a young married woman with two children, balance between my husband’s and children’s’ needs, in addition to a continuing relationship with my parents and siblings, was all consuming.
Now my second husband, Sheldon, and I are aging together. For us now in one way balance is a physical state to be maintained. In another way, thinking about the balance between time and capacity seems to be a constant consideration.
I have been photographing Sheldon and our lives together for 40 years. These photographs were made recently.
While having a great time at an excellent Alberto Giacometti retrospective at the Seattle Museum of Art, I asked Sheldon to pose for me with a large, balanced sculpture. I took the picture and we laughed about it.
While playing with my camera and a mirror, which I do more frequently now, I am balancing my perception of myself at my age with the reality of the mirror image I see. Upside down seems to be a more objective of seeing.
As we exited a ship in Iceland on a loosely jointed staircase, Sheldon was cautious. Continuing to take photos, I saw his and my fragility.