Chance Meeting

Chance Meeting is one of Martin Lewis's most psychologically complex images, as Lewis placed the viewer in the center of a narrative fraught with unresolved desire. Both figures strike casual poses-the man thrusts his hands in his pockets while the woman leans on a newsstand. However, their intense gazes and the exaggerated arcs of their bodies suggest an ardent attraction. In the background, Lewis included a couple further along in their courtship, suggesting a possible outcome to the encounter. The harsh lighting, dramatic shadows, and incomplete story suggest the influence of film noir on Lewis's work.