Roe Ethridge, Beach Umbrella, 2020. Photographs New York.
Laurie Simmons
Laurie Simmons, Walking Purse, 1989. Photographs New York.
Yuka Yamaji, Head of Photographs, Europe
This oversized black-and-white photograph of a gigantic alligator skin purse with legs is undeniably Laurie Simmons [Lot 206]. For her seminal project Walking and Lying Objects (1987–91), Simmons presented a series of “woman-as-object” — a purse, a camera, an apple, a house, a gun — questioning gender roles and stereotypes in American culture. In the case of Walking Purse, she has chosen an object that is a trope of femininity, drawing our attention to the signified role of women. For me, an alligator skin purse references not only the influence of advertising and consumerism but also the cost of being a woman. Stereotypes of a woman and her handbag also come to mind: how she never leaves the house without it and how men find mystique in what she carries inside it.
Alma Lavenson
Alma Lavenson, Glass Study, 1931. Photographs New York.
Rachel Peart, Head of Department
The first time I saw an early Alma Lavenson print I was entranced by the nuances and exquisiteness in the tonal ranges. Lavenson’s Glass Study [Lot 29] is an exemplar of these tones, with the reflections, highlights and shadows that dance around the pipettes and glass stems set against the rich patina of the wall. Her dynamic composition elevates the study to an almost abstract work as you explore its rich visual landscape. This study has all that you could hope for in a work by the artist and this is the only print of this image that has been located as of this offering — making it a very special moment to celebrate its rare beauty.
Roe Ethridge
Roe Ethridge, Beach Umbrella, 2020. Photographs New York.
Justine Gruser, Specialist
This large size Beach Umbrella dye sublimation print by Roe Ethridge certainly grabs one’s attention. Initially due to the bright color scheme but following that its rather intriguing composition. The perception of vertigo simulated by the myriad of lines and the painterly vivid tones; the abstract cropping of the image and the blurred line between staged and candid photography are captivating. Beach Umbrella [Lot 272] is from the eponymous series in which Ethridge photographed discarded umbrellas on Rockaway Beach, New York, and is a great example of the artist’s ability to capture and transform everyday life into a surreal tableau. Etheridge has always challenged the distinction between commercial and fine art photography, as did pioneering photographer Paul Outerbridge in his time and there are remarkable similarities in the abstract composition and use of color between Beach Umbrella and Sandwiches on Tray also on offer this November [Lot 121].
Tina Barney
Tina Barney, Jill and Polly in the Bathroom, 1987. Photographs New York.
Claire Lamport, Associate Specialist
My pick is Tina Barney’s gloriously monumental Jill and Polly in the Bathroom [Lot 212], created in 1987, which graces the cover of her Theater of Manners monograph. Within a strikingly intimate setting, we are drawn in by the candy-colored palette and sumptuous details and captivated by [Barney’s sister] Jill’s tense expression as Polly [Barney’s niece] turns away from her mother. A deeply personal mother-daughter portrait, this uncanny composition is enhanced by the mirrors’ fragmented reflection. Over half a century, Barney has photographed the daily lives of affluent New England society — her friends and family — as a somewhat conspicuous insider. She has said, “My selection of subjects has always been instinctive […] They always feel like deep, dark secrets that I keep to myself.”
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