Woman at Coney Island, New York Possibly 1939 - 1976

Lisette Model made this photograph, Woman at Coney Island, New York, most likely with a large format camera – you can tell from the incredible clarity. The composition is simple, yet it reveals a complex approach to representation. The woman in the image is strong, sturdy, powerful. She's right there in the moment, laughing. I can only imagine the story behind it. Did Model ask her to pose like that, or did the camera capture her in a moment of rest? I’m struck by the way Model gets so close – and how she’s not trying to make her into something she’s not. You can see every detail of the woman’s body, the scars on her knees, the tan lines, the small cross around her neck, the ocean reflecting the sunlight. Model’s photos have a deep connection with work by Diane Arbus, Nan Goldin, and even, why not, Alice Neel. All these artists have a directness to them, but the most important thing is how they each make a powerful case for the radical acceptance of others.