Tau Battice is a photographer, professor, and ethnographer, as well as a fascinating human being with whom to have a conversation. He has as great a gift for telling a story through a static image as anyone I have ever encountered, capturing moments in light that reveal a glimpse of his subjects' (or 'partners' as he sometimes says) souls.

Battice is keenly aware of the narratives that grow from depictions of human beings, and of the "limiting, and even dehumanizing, mythologies inherent of racial and ethnic classifications." He problematizes those common narratives through offering images of beauty, strength, and resilience that may not fit the dominant stories of what those look like, and those qualities are inescapable in his images.

I met Tau in a vegetarian café in Jamestown, NY, and we fell into a rich conversation without much time spent on pleasantries. I've been tracking his art since then, and I am deeply moved by it.  

I look forward to introducing you to Tau Battice, if you have not yet encountered him, and being nourished by his art and his bright spirit.

Sustaining Our Spirits #8 - Tau Battice, photographer