Valerie Possibly 1980 - 1989

Mariette Pathy Allen made this photograph, called "Valerie," and I love the way it captures a certain kind of gaze. Here, Valerie is clutching a fur stole, and I imagine it must have been kind of windy that day, seeing as there's sand and a big sky in the background. I’m wondering if the softness of the stole is contrasting with the hardness of the ground. Does the fur represent an animal she wants to protect? Is the stole representative of something more, like a protective shield? I wonder if Allen, as the photographer, was thinking about ideas such as softness and protection when she chose the location and the outfit. More than that, there’s something so performative in the look in Valerie’s eyes. It is as though Valerie is asking: “Do you see me? Do you really *see* me?" The performative aspect reminds me of the work of other photographers such as Catherine Opie, who make photographs of queer individuals. I like the possibilities that are offered through the gaze, and it gives us all so much room to interpret.