Susan E. Evans, “This is not …”

#somereallygoodones, #susaneevans, #thisphotograph…

This is a photograph — a gelatin silver print — of white letters on a black field. A slide of it came in a presentation that had been sent to me when I was beginning as a dealer. It is still the best unsolicited portfolio I’ve seen because of its economy. It got right to the point. It is a statement about what photography is not. And by extension what it it.

“This is not a landscape, a nude, a portrait, a sunset,
a novelty, a trophy, a souvenir, a voyeuristic tool, an editorial, a social rite,
a token, a movement from the past or an experience, an icon, a way of life,
a satire, a painting, nor is it: narrative, journalism, promotion, news, pop
culture, art, or a cultural, a social, economic, or political statement”

The presentation came in a thin, 8 x 10 manilla envelope. I remember being in a foul mood, silently wishing good luck to the poor soul who was about to expose herself — Susan E. Evans — and her work to disgruntled me. There was a hand written letter (good) referencing a mutual someone whom she shouldn't have mentioned (bad), continuing with a “hello, change my life please.”

And I have tried to over the years. Her sharp, sardonic assessment of photography was on target for me. Here is what is and isn’t. Her matter of factness is blessed.

I acquired the above as well as these two.

This photograph will not: affect change, create sympathy, incite pity, amuse, enlighten,
judge, embarass, humanize, depress, comment, expose, inform, recapture youth, invade,
rape, interfere, encourage, suggest, remind, prove, exploit, control, capture, conquest,
distort, posess, presume, trespass, culturize, resemble, idealize, advertise, defend,
illustrate, inform, document, represent, symbolize, beautify, dehumanize, condescend,
justify, liberate, dramatize, reveal, publicize, tokenize, revolutionize, criticize, identify,
glamorize, trivialize, witness, explore or report.
\
This photograph does not show: beauty, poverty, joy, tragedy, oddities, pathos,
suffering, generations, spirituality, optimism, passage, time, valuation, tradition,
history, disobedience, human condition, relationships, design, innocence, color,
heroism, culture, emotion, curiosity, contrast, personality, mutilation, mystery,
texture, space, dimensionality, depth, computer alteration, computer enhancement,
memorabilia, mechanization, process, aesthetics, history, experience, evidence,
fantasy, depression, classifications, nature, people, celebrations, animals, food,
liesure time, machine, sex, architecture, astronomy, micro-organisms, tourist
attractions, or babies.

The text on all three is justified for balance (unlike here) with equal margins on both sides of the text block. Yes, possess, embarrass and leisure are misspelled; culturize seems like an attempt at a word, and memorabilia may have been meant as memorialize.

It is the attempt we salute, not the “spell check.”

There is immediacy in the work, nonetheless.

I used another piece, “Ignore the Man Behind the Curtain” referencing yet managing to misquote “The Wizard of Oz”. She later executed a commission from me to create a family living room with framed texts in dime store frames with caption-like statements: ‘Bobby’s first visit with Santa," Ruth and Jim’s wedding," “Uncle Harold dressed as a woman.” Treasures.

The work has an astringency. It’s playful but correct. She sees, she understands, she reacts. Her initials are S.E.E.

I like the notion that an artist is someone who states that they jump six inches into the air. That’s it. They jump six inches into the air. People remark that hardly seems extraordinary.

Then they jump six inches into the air.

That’s art.

#somereallygoodones, #theunseeneye, #wmhunt, #collectiondancingbear, #collectionblindpirate, #greatphotographs, #howilookatphotographs, #photographsfromtheunconsicous, #collectingislikerunningaroundinathunderstormhopingyoullbehitbylightning, #aphotographsogooditmakesyoufartlightning, #photographychangedmylifeitgavemeone, #susaneevans, #thisphotograph…