The Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum was under renovation from September 2005 to July 2008. The museum was enclosed for restoration of the Frank Lloyd Wright’s landmark building in preparation for its 50th anniversary in 2009. Currently on exhibit is, theanyspacewhatever, which showcases 10 artists’ works at the museum space. The artist that I liked most is Catherine Opie’s works because of the acceptance message she depicts in her photographs.
Opie showcased 13 different photograph collections at the Guggenheim. The subjects of her photographs are focused on the things she sees around her such as the people she come across and the places she has been to. The one collection of hers that really caught my attention is Self-portraits & Dyke. I like this collection because there were three self-portrait photographs of her, which was shown in a disturbing, yet emotional way. Each photograph is a chromogenic print at 40 inches by 30 inches.
The first photograph is named Cutting and was taken in 1993 of her back with a picture carved into her flesh, which looks like a child drawing of a house, the sun behind clouds and two female stick figures holding hands. In this self-portrait she was standing in front of a dark backdrop, which gives it a gloomy feel. Along with the carving on her back it made me shudder because it was freshly carved into her flesh with blood still oozing out from the cuts. This photograph of her bare back with the image was inspired by a recent breakup that she had gone through and her back was used as the canvas to depict how she felt emotionally towards lesbian domesticity. The second photograph is named Pervert taken in 1994. In this photograph Opie wore a leather mask hiding her face from the world, yet exposing her breasts with the word Pervert carved across her chest and dozens of needles pierced through both her arms. She felt that society placed a label on her as a Pervert because of not accepting her the way she is for being different. In this piece she was aiming for visibility and recognition for who she was, but at the same time afraid to show her face and want to remain anonymous by wearing the leather mask. Again this piece was set in a dark backdrop, which portrays her feelings being sublimed. The third piece is called Nursing, which was taken in 2004. This has been 10 years after her second piece and there was a drastic change from this piece compared to the other two. This piece was taken in a warm colored backdrop and she looked comfortable because her face was visible to the society instead of hidden like in the earlier pieces. Opie was holding her two-year-old son in her arms, while breastfeeding him like a mother would. She was making eye contact with her son and showing the love a mother gives to her child. Although the scars Pervert will always remain on her chest, but she seems to have let go of how the society has labeled her and let herself be whomever she feels like and accepted her own identity.
This collection by Opie was very eye catching because I had never seen self-portraits that showed so much emotional built up from deep within and the canvas used was her own body. I felt that her message of being accepted in society was very strong and graphical because of the cuttings that were made on her chest and back.