“A picture is a secret about a secret, the more it tells you the less you know.”
I visited the Museum of Modern Art on a disgustingly rainy Tuesday afternoon. It wasn’t empty, per se, but I’ve definitely seen it more crowded.
In retrospect, I probably should have gone in there with a plan of action or something. I got there and didn’t really know where to begin, so basically I picked a random person and followed them until they lead me somewhere cool. I ended up on the third floor, in the Edward Steichen Photography Galleries.
I went from room to room, just looking for something interesting. The first photograph that caught my eye was Eddie Anderson; 21 Years Old; Houston, Texas; $20. It’s part of a series by Philip-Lorca diCorcia, in which the photographer seeks out homeless, prostitutes, drifters, addicts, etc. to pose for him. At first, the subject in this particular photograph, struck me because of his haircut. He has this weird David Bowie thing going on.
I also thought the angle from which the photograph was taken is interesting. DiCorcia – and subsequently the viewer – is looking at Eddie Anderson through the window of a diner, but Eddie’s attention is elsewhere. His mouth is parted like he wants to say something, and his gaze is averted. The look in his eyes is disconcerting; it’s like he’s in the middle of some deep and profound inner struggle. The boy’s got some demons, I bet.
I’m wondering if the window between the photographer and the subject is a metaphor for something. Maybe diCorcia was trying to say that Eddie is on the outside looking in. Perhaps the out-of-focus jukebox, the hamburger, and the cup of coffee represent social norms and conventions. The glass window of the diner might be a barrier between two different sides of society.
Next to Eddie was Marilyn; 28 Years Old; Las Vegas, Nevada; $30. Marilyn is a prostitute who came to Hollywood chasing a pipedream, and ended up working the Sunset Strip instead. Marilyn in the photograph is possibly emulating Marilyn Monroe. His lips are painted a pretty red, he’s wearing the black eyeliner, and he even has the beauty mark. However, Marilyn’s wig is black while Marilyn Monroe’s hair was blonde.
Marilyn’s lips are parted so that he’s showing his teeth. I believe he was going for something pouty and seductive, but the teeth make it so that he looks a bit like he’s snarling at the camera. Additionally, he seems to be slightly dazed. The look in his eyes suggests that he’s coming to terms with who he is and what he’s doing with his life. Thought I don’t think Marilyn is particularly happy about what it is that he has within himself.
Behind Marilyn is an out of focus young man, sitting with his back against the wall. He watches Marilyn from behind, like he’s trying to figure him out. But the thing is, in my mind, Marilyn doesn’t want to be found out. He hides underneath a caked on layer of make-up for a reason. It’s a facade, but all facades shatter underneath the weight of a camera.
I really liked both of diCorcia’s pieces, and was disappointed to find that they were the only two of his works on show in the gallery. A photograph is supposed to capture a single moment in time, but if it’s a really good photograph then it captures so much more.
– damla
Posted: September 18th, 2012 under MoMA, Reviews.
