Vanessa Possibly 1980 - 1989

Curator: We’re looking at “Vanessa,” a photograph by Mariette Pathy Allen, likely taken sometime in the 1980s. It’s a portrait of a trans woman standing against a painted brick wall. Editor: Wow, there's so much going on here. It feels… awkward, maybe? But in a really interesting way. She looks like she’s trying to blend in but just can't quite manage it, like a stylish alien trying to navigate Earth fashion trends. Curator: Allen's work is so significant because it offers an intimate and empathetic perspective on transgender lives, often documenting scenes and people largely ignored by mainstream culture at the time. This particular image is striking in that tension between visibility and invisibility. Editor: Absolutely! It's that gorgeous fur coat paired with those futuristic silver pants—a real statement. But then, she's positioned right up against that graffiti-ed wall, almost like she wants to disappear into the urban grit. Is she owning her power or hiding from judgment, or both? It is a tight line to straddle, the feeling comes from an inner struggle in my opinion. Curator: And consider the historical context. The 80s were a complicated time. On one hand, LGBTQ+ rights were gaining momentum, yet there was also the AIDS crisis and a significant conservative backlash. Images like this push back against that erasure, claiming space and visibility. The rawness and complexity, artistically capturing her vulnerability and strength simultaneously. Editor: I totally get that. And even her expression – she's not looking directly at us, she is peering sideways almost wistfully. She's presenting but also seems lost in thought, revealing so much while guarding herself. Curator: Right, and think about the institutional implications, too. Galleries and museums are only now starting to truly represent this work in significant numbers. For so long, images of trans people were regulated, sterilized, or altogether absent from major collections. Allen’s photography challenges those structures of power. Editor: It is more than photography in a sense, it is evidence, resistance, a visual echo from a past struggling to find its place in the future. It makes me think, and feel a lot actually. I think there are levels here in the choices. Curator: This photograph allows us to see beyond simplistic narratives. Artistically, Allen uses available light and setting and pushes boundaries that society imposes in various manners. It humanizes Vanessa, making her undeniably present. Editor: It is kind of incredible to think how one image can open up such a big discussion. It's like a portal back to that moment in time, with all its beauty, its struggles, and its messy humanity. I am really glad it’s found a home.