The photography I find the most compelling is sharp, intimate and vivid, documenting symbolic or emotionally direct instances of human existence that some people find discomforting, subversive and occasionally inappropriate.
Whether through social self-submersion within a subculture via role playing or the exploration of coming of age femininity portrayed through dream-like lucidity, two contemporary female photographers grabbed my attention in the current Role Models exhibition at the NMWA in DC.
The first, Nikki S. Lee is a Korean-American photographer based out of NYC that has been shooting projects focused around her chameleon image as a woman in contemporary American society as she morphs into stereotypical feminine characters within different socioeconomic and social groups around the US. She has been working on these projects since the early 90's and actually spends time with each group, conforming to their aesthetics, before shooting any images. A master of composition, she achieves an effective level of sincerity in each role through careful attention to dress and gesture that is touching and visually authentic. I found this especially true of photos from the Ohio Project and the Hispanic Project.
The other photographer who piqued my interest was Justine Kurland, who like Lee, works with staged photography. Many of her images in the Role Models show were from her trip to New Zealand, lending a ethereal, romantic quality to her work, as she documents the semi-feral nature of adolescent school girls.
Other notable photographers in the exhibition include Nan Goldin, Cindy Sherman, Sally Mann, Catherine Opie, Angela Strassheim and
Collier Schorr. The exhibition will be on display through the end of January.
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