Sarah Charlesworth: Stills
Friday, December 14, 2007
Unidentified Woman, Hotel Corona de Aragon, Madrid, 1980
Jerry Hollins, Chicago Federal Courthouse, 1980
Unidentified Man, Ankara, Turkey, 1980
Unidentified Man, Ontani Hotel, Los Angeles, 1980
© Sarah Charlesworth
Here’s another intriguing project: Sarah Charlesworth’s series Stills.
Stills are black and white enlargements made from newspaper photos of people in mid-air. The images show people jumping from burning buildings in an attempt to save their lives, as well as individuals who are trying to commit suicide. Neither the intention nor the outcome of the jump is apparent.
The series reminded me of Carolee Schneemann’s more recent controversial project, Terminal Velocity. This project consists of a grid of photographs of people falling to their deaths from the World Trade Center on September 11th.
Terminal Velocity, 2001
© Carolee Schneemann
Utterly disturbing, but somehow very beautiful.
See the rest of Sarah’s work on her website - there’s a lot to look at.
(via This is That)
December 14th, 2007 at 4:11 pm
Both of these projects remind me of Aaron Siskind in a less morbid kind of way.
December 14th, 2007 at 5:38 pm
That’s vile and repulsive.
December 14th, 2007 at 6:36 pm
Todd, I know. Or “utterly disturbing,” as I put it.
From Carolee Schneeman’s statement, October 2001:
Is it that they are public in the first place that makes them vile? That they are now objects of the art world? That they are beautiful, as well as repulsive?
December 16th, 2007 at 3:03 pm
I think I had that reaction because treating these events captured on film as art objects de-personalizes the factual, human experience each of those unfortunate people and their loved ones had. It’s worse than just that. She’s introduced an implicit commercial aspect to the horror and pain of these experiences. Imagine someone putting this on their wall or socking it away as an investment. Even in a museum setting, the bulk of the visitors will be treating the viewing as a form of cultural entertainment.
When I notice now the time period these were made, or at least when Schneeman made her statement, the world was a very different place. My mind, certainly, was in a different state, but I think I would probably have been even MORE outraged at that time than I am today because I would have been more sensitive to the issue based on my own experience of the event.
December 16th, 2007 at 3:19 pm
It’s interesting that for many viewers the images in Schneemann’s grid become “depersonalized” when, in fact, she felt a certain “intimacy” with them.
From an interview on ARTINFO:
That said, I can see how audiences (especially audiences directly effected by the events of Sept. 11) would grieve or even feel anger when looking at her piece. I’ve seen this piece in person and the effect it had made me feel torn.
December 17th, 2007 at 6:13 pm
Interestingly the Misrach “on the Beach” exhibit supposedly had its genesis in the human form falling from the WTC. There’s also an interesting use of the images in the book Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close by Jonathan Safran Foer but its in a context that treats the images with sympathy and respect.
December 18th, 2007 at 1:21 pm
Her website needs some better design and less images. Hard to find anything. I like her images that you posted. Jonathan Safran Foer’s book was good, but I don’t think it was the same intention as the photographer.
Good stuff