British filmmaker and artist, Steve McQueen, is widely renowned for his directorial prowess, having released four critically acclaimed feature films in the past 25 years. Alongside his award-winning cinematic storytelling, McQueen has simultaneously worked within the realm of fine art photography, producing subtly subversive images that explore themes of representation, lived experience, and the body.
Displayed within a light box, Mees, After Evening Dip, New Year’s Day, 2002 describes a shivering boy, swaddling himself in a towel after emerging from the ocean. Behind the subject, a dark, looming sea and fading sunset creates a dramatic, possibly ominous atmosphere. This sense of drama is reaffirmed by the askew composition; the horizon line tilts downward, drawing the viewer’s eye to the subject, who is situated in the center of the frame and slightly blurred. By hinting at the subject’s movement rather than recording a static moment, the photograph prompts viewers to consider the preceding action. Coupled with the illumination of the light box - reminiscent of a movie screen - the image is imbued with a distinct film-still sensibility, aligned with McQueen’s visual language.
McQueen has exhibited internationally, and solo exhibitions of his work have occurred at the Art Institute of Chicago (2012), the Museum of Modern Art, New York (2017) and Tate Modern, London (2020), among others.