Tommy in the window of the detox hospital, Winthrop, MA

Hemmed in on one side by the door frame and on the other by the window ledge, Tommy stands within a restricted space immediately behind the picture plane. At the same time, he is illuminated by the bright light streaming through the window. This lighting, together with the coloristic brilliance of the print, as well as the figure’s outward gaze, challenge the sense of restriction, control, and discomfort created by the composition. There is a wistfulness in Tommy’s gaze, however; if he thinks of the future, it is closely bound to the past. If he hopes to be free of dependence, the poppies, now beyond their prime, seem to be a potentially cruel and ironic reference to one source of addiction. Nan Goldin’s photograph perfectly articulates the contradictions of a detox center: hopefulness, desired autonomy, determination to be clean, and a longing for past pleasures.