2009.1.13

The subject is a tarantula, which is being held by a Latina (?) woman in the center of the frame toward the viewer, and is surrounded by an African-American man on her right (proper) side, and three teenage girls (an Asian American, foreground; an African American, mid-field; and another African American [?], background). The scene is a cluttered interior, which appears to be a science lab. The woman is apparently a high school teacher; the girls, her students; and the man, a scholar and keeper of the tarantula. (That they are visiting him is indicated by a sticker name tag visible on the the woman's sweater front, bearing the handwritten the text, "Galia Bosch 12th ECHS].) He is wearing a tweed jacket and a button-down shirt with a tie. The body language indicates that he is doing the sharing and that the woman is his "volunteer." She is holding the tarantula with both palms up as a platform, and looks somewhat nervous. The Asian-American girl is touching the tarantula's back with her left (proper) index finger. The two other girls are watching (nervously?) over the woman's shoulder. On verso is the text, handwritten in black ink, "Dr. Vernard Lewis with Galia Bosch, Brandee Stewart, Liz Bronson, Singharath Noy > girls from El Cerito High [indicated the last three names] holding Taranchala [sic]." Also on verso are the text stamps, "Oct 2 1992" and "Ron Riesterer."

Used: Oakland Tribune