Head #22 2001

Editor: We’re looking at Philip-Lorca diCorcia’s “Head #22” from 2001, a c-print photograph. The dark, almost cinematic lighting makes me feel like I'm catching a glimpse of someone on the street. What do you make of it? Curator: Consider how DiCorcia orchestrates this image. The 'street photography' aesthetic is calculated. It's a portrait, yet its staged quality prompts questions. Who is this subject, and what is the labor behind the 'natural' appearance of this image? The lighting is key: does it evoke authenticity or construction? Editor: So you’re saying the staging draws attention to the artifice of the photograph itself? Curator: Exactly. This goes beyond a simple representation. DiCorcia highlights the labor of image-making, and the economic exchange inherent to photography. He's using the medium to probe deeper issues – look at the gold chain and simple shirt. It creates an accessibility and almost blurs a defined socioeconomic background. What's your reading of these specific details? Editor: I see how the chain challenges the context. But also how the details of fashion choices show both personal and socioeconomic influences. He shows the act of portraiture is always about manipulating and directing someone’s story. Curator: Precisely. It raises critical questions: who has the power to represent whom, and at what cost? These considerations tie into our understanding of labour, class, and representation itself. Editor: That's given me a lot to think about. I’d previously thought street photography was an accurate view, now I realize there is lots of orchestration and work that I was missing! Curator: Indeed, and hopefully you realize that an aesthetic can have strong material ties as well!