Photography is, in one sense, a limitless medium that demands no specific space to practice. In any given location, smartphones effortlessly capture the fleeting moments of the day. Staged: Studio Photographs from the Collection aims for something different. In contrast to the non– fabricated nature of our visual world—where photographers are unable to meticulously sculpt every component of their desired shot—this exhibition showcases objects and portraits of figures photographed exclusively in the studio where the artist takes full control.
With photographs from the 19th century to the present day, Staged experiments with the numerous ways in which photographers work within a confined space. Here the artist maintains near–complete agency over the environment in front of their camera lens. Props, lighting, and backdrops bend to their whim, and are often superimposed with filters and other methods of visual manipulation during the editorial phase of their process. Although this premise sounds limiting, each photograph explodes with daring imagery. Staged is a culmination of artists’ experimentation and transcendence of a boxed space examined rigorously through the colloquial yet spectacular medium of photography.
“Untitled (Ladislav Sutnar glassware)” by Josef Sudek, a 20th–century Czech photographer, depicts an arrangement of glasses against a clean backdrop. Sudek worked with porcelain and glassware designer Ladislav Sutnar to promote functionalist designs to consumers across Czechoslovakia. The black–and–white, empty environment—compounded by the heavily conspicuous shadows of each glass overlapping one another—emphasizes the beautiful sharpness and transparency of the objects. Combining purpose with polish, Sudek highlights a growing trend of the 1930s: the streamlined manufacturing of products pertinent to an increasingly industrialized global landscape. This work uses the form of the simple product catalog photo and makes of it something more; it experiments with varying opacities and linear asymmetry, elevating photography to a means of expression rather than just a pragmatic tool for commercial use.
Mickalene Thomas’ “Racquel #3” stands as the de facto centerpiece of Staged. A chromogenic print from 2013, this work features a feminine figure spreading on a tuxedo sofa that is piled with garishly patterned blankets. Floral prints compete with black, red, and brown stripes, while lighter yellow shapes reminiscent of flower bulbs appear to gasp for air positioned underneath the several folds of other clashing patterns. Stringed pillows and fuzzy dotted squares add to the chaos, and fake vines, along with busy wall decor, complete this manufactured scene in the studio.
This unapologetically bold photograph represents the transition to a new photography, heralding a period of artifice and experimentation. The unsettling strangeness of the unruly composition, initially jarring to the eye, is a reflection of this spirit.
Next time I decide to photograph my bougie meal at a restaurant or novelty items in a gift shop, I’ll consider the hidden artistry behind my craft. Maybe our visual world isn’t completely non–fabricated. In our own ways, we are curators of our documentation. We select the objects worthy enough to photograph: the visual occurrences that captivate us or moments with friends we wish to preserve. When I look back at my old Snapchat selfies from 8th grade, I cringe at the extreme filters and cheesy captions. But later I realize they offer a glimpse into my inner psyche from over 5 years ago. In the distant future, I’ll look back fondly on the photographs of today and better understand the zeitgeist of my college years, as captured and curated by my present self. Staged reminds us that this process of photography—done out of instinct or not—underscores not just the beauty of the world around us, but the evolving narrative we make of ourselves, and of our environment, caught in transformation.
