"Takaho After Kissing", 1994 cibochrome print by Nan Goldin
The Institute of Contemporary Art (ICA), Boston is currently exhibiting “Portraits” from their permanent collection through January 2013. Aside from occupying the same gallery space, there is little to hold this grouping of (mostly) photographs together. By using the word “Portraits”, the ICA takes a leap at creative definition that falls flat (with a photo of a bird in flight) as often as it works (with “Tristan’s Top 20” (2011), an acrylic on paper by Dave Muller that depicts the spines of favorite record albums.) Like far too many contemporary collections, the large, the brash and the shocking stand-in for pieces of substance. This is exemplified by yet more portraits of the outliers of society, skillfully scouted and depicted by “shock” practitioners like Philip Lorca DiCorcia (“Ralph Smith, 21 Years Old”, 1992) and Nan Goldin (“Takaho After Kissing”, 1994). It is a thin and disappointing collection.
"Almerisa" series, 1994-2005, C-prints by Rineke Dijkstra
Luckily, there are a few pieces by artists demonstrating thought, nuance and sometimes even humor. Rineke Dijkstra’s “Almerisa” (1994-2005), a series of seated color portraits of a Yugoslavian refugee from her arrival at six years old through her physical adulthood at seventeen years old, respectfully explores the maturing of a girl through both relocation and adolescence with genuine human interest and sympathy. In one of the only Black & White contributions, Lorna Simpson (“May, June, July, August 1957/2009”) examines issues of gender and racial identity by pairing found pin-up photos from 1957 with self-portraits created in 2009. For the height of nuance and humor, delivered with dry wit, Rachel Perry Welty’s video “Karaoke Wrong Number, 2001-2004” is a fascinating study in human behavior; it should not be missed.
"Karaoke Wrong Number", 2001-2004, DVD color and sound by Rachel Perry Welty
Share On Facebook
Tweet It
