Dmitry Markov is a Russian Photographer who was born on April 23, 1992. “Gray Brick Road” is a series of photographs he took in 2015, and they depict a disabled father and his family in the city of Pskov, Russia.

The studium of this photograph is a father sitting on his bed, accompanied by his two young children. The hut is, crammed, dark and dilapidated. The family’s objects are few, and are piled on top of one another. Lastly, the children are staring directly at the lens of the camera, innocent and wide-eyed.

After looking at this photo, I immediately feel sorry for the family, and sympathize with them and their living conditions. I can’t help but wonder about the safety and security of the children, and what their futures hold. Are they destined to a life of poverty and uncertainty, or will they overcome the challenges of their childhood and create a better situation for themselves?

In my eyes, the punctum of this picture is the cat that the father is clutching. It immediately makes me think that the father focuses more of his love and affection on the animal, rather than on his two young children. Perhaps the father feels ashamed of the life he has created for his children. He finds it difficult to look at them because their innocent faces are a constant reminder to him that he has not properly provided for them, which is something he has always dreamt of doing. He wonders whether there is anything he can do to fix this, and to finally make these dreams a reality. However, my mind then goes to an entirely different place, and I no longer sympathize with the father, but rather resent him. Perhaps the father clutches onto the cat, and not onto his children, because he is more concerned about the cat’s safety. Therefore, the fact that he has not provided the best living conditions for his young family is not at all surprising, and my heart aches for the children even more.

I believe that this is why the cat is is the punctum. It is subtle, however it allows the photograph to take on a whole new meaning, even two meanings, and I interpret the work differently because of its presence. The way the father holds it tightly, to ensure that it doesn’t jump off its lap, hurts me. I can’t help but hope that everything will be okay for this family.