Help Me Find This Photo Exhibit!!
August 7, 2009 11:41 AM Subscribe
Help me find this online photo exhibit from a few years ago- photographs of people who define themselves as members of subcultures through dress.
A few years ago (probably around 2005), I saw an online exhibit of photos (or it may have been a selection of photos online that were part of an exhibit elsewhere) that I have been thinking about ever since. However, I didn't bookmark it at the time. Repeated attempts at Googling have turned up nothing.
The photographer was focused on how different subcultures of people dress alike, and photos of people in each of a variety of subcultures. One, for instance, had a title of "Urban Dad", where each photo was of a fit, toned, possibly silvery gray-haired man wearing expensive sporty casual wear, and a brightly colored Baby Bjorn with a child in it. It was as if they'd all chosen their clothes from the same page in some Urban Dad catalog, but in fact each person in the project had been pulled off the street and photographed separately.
There were multiple arrays with titles, and all had 6-8 photos (or more, possibly). Another might have been Young Rocker Dude, where they were all wearing beat-up jeans over black motorcycle boots. None of the people were too costume-y. All of the people clearly defined themselves as outside the mainstream through dress, either by being very trendy or cool or goth or twee or something.
Part of the message was that people recognize each other as members of their unique subculture and dress to be identified as part of that subculture, like I Am A Young Hip Williamsburg Mother.
The photographs were not taken on the street. They were taken with studio lighting and a white background. Most of the people were wearing very trendy clothes for the time, which was probably 2004, but no earlier than 2002 and no later than 2006.
I want to say that the artist was Dutch, that she was female or it was an artist couple working together. And I want to say that they did the photographs in New York City. Some of that might be right or nearly right, or maybe all of that is wrong and I am completely off the mark.
Anyway, this was not terribly obscure at the time. I am sure I saw it in the arts section of the New York Times or another major news source, but it resonated and I'd love to find it again (and email it to people who've had to sit through my awkward descriptions for the past 3-5 years). I have looked for it several times and cannot even come close to a reference.
Can you help me?
A few years ago (probably around 2005), I saw an online exhibit of photos (or it may have been a selection of photos online that were part of an exhibit elsewhere) that I have been thinking about ever since. However, I didn't bookmark it at the time. Repeated attempts at Googling have turned up nothing.
The photographer was focused on how different subcultures of people dress alike, and photos of people in each of a variety of subcultures. One, for instance, had a title of "Urban Dad", where each photo was of a fit, toned, possibly silvery gray-haired man wearing expensive sporty casual wear, and a brightly colored Baby Bjorn with a child in it. It was as if they'd all chosen their clothes from the same page in some Urban Dad catalog, but in fact each person in the project had been pulled off the street and photographed separately.
There were multiple arrays with titles, and all had 6-8 photos (or more, possibly). Another might have been Young Rocker Dude, where they were all wearing beat-up jeans over black motorcycle boots. None of the people were too costume-y. All of the people clearly defined themselves as outside the mainstream through dress, either by being very trendy or cool or goth or twee or something.
Part of the message was that people recognize each other as members of their unique subculture and dress to be identified as part of that subculture, like I Am A Young Hip Williamsburg Mother.
The photographs were not taken on the street. They were taken with studio lighting and a white background. Most of the people were wearing very trendy clothes for the time, which was probably 2004, but no earlier than 2002 and no later than 2006.
I want to say that the artist was Dutch, that she was female or it was an artist couple working together. And I want to say that they did the photographs in New York City. Some of that might be right or nearly right, or maybe all of that is wrong and I am completely off the mark.
Anyway, this was not terribly obscure at the time. I am sure I saw it in the arts section of the New York Times or another major news source, but it resonated and I'd love to find it again (and email it to people who've had to sit through my awkward descriptions for the past 3-5 years). I have looked for it several times and cannot even come close to a reference.
Can you help me?
I have no idea about the specific series you're talking about, but these somewhat related artists might interest you. There are so many people working in this area that I'm struggling even to remember the obvious ones. Half an hour in a decent library might be your best best.
Nikki S Lee (Parts and Projects)
Cindy Sherman
Hans Ejkelboom (Photo notes)
Albrecht Tubke (Citizens)
Jitka Hanzlova (Female)
Rineke Dijkstra
Gillian Wearing (Signs that say...)
There are loads of people working along similar lines. Dress, identity, typologies and so forth are a really big area in contemporary art photography, almost to the point of cliché. If you have access to a college library just pull half a dozen photography books off the shelf and you'll probably hit something in this vein. I'll post again if I think of any more.
These books all have similar work in as well:
How We Are: Photographing Britain
Art Photography Now
Photo Art
The Photograph As Contemporary Art
reGeneration
Vitamin pH
And blogs like Conscientious regularly feature this sort of stuff. Browse the side bars and archives.
posted by SebastianKnight at 12:28 PM on August 7, 2009
Nikki S Lee (Parts and Projects)
Cindy Sherman
Hans Ejkelboom (Photo notes)
Albrecht Tubke (Citizens)
Jitka Hanzlova (Female)
Rineke Dijkstra
Gillian Wearing (Signs that say...)
There are loads of people working along similar lines. Dress, identity, typologies and so forth are a really big area in contemporary art photography, almost to the point of cliché. If you have access to a college library just pull half a dozen photography books off the shelf and you'll probably hit something in this vein. I'll post again if I think of any more.
These books all have similar work in as well:
How We Are: Photographing Britain
Art Photography Now
Photo Art
The Photograph As Contemporary Art
reGeneration
Vitamin pH
And blogs like Conscientious regularly feature this sort of stuff. Browse the side bars and archives.
posted by SebastianKnight at 12:28 PM on August 7, 2009
Aww.......crap.
posted by SebastianKnight at 12:28 PM on August 7, 2009
posted by SebastianKnight at 12:28 PM on August 7, 2009
Response by poster: Thanks anyway- I am glad to have found the original link, but happy to check out your links as well!
posted by aabbbiee at 1:10 PM on August 7, 2009
posted by aabbbiee at 1:10 PM on August 7, 2009
Wow! What a neat link...I want to collect the whole set.
posted by redsparkler at 11:47 PM on August 7, 2009
posted by redsparkler at 11:47 PM on August 7, 2009
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by severalbees at 12:11 PM on August 7, 2009