Untitled (photograph of "Venetian Blind": woman posing in front of blinds) c. 1940

This photograph by Paul Gittings presents a woman behind a Venetian blind, and its strength lies in its stark contrast of light and shadow. The geometric pattern of the blinds creates a grid-like structure that competes with the organic form of the woman. The photograph destabilizes traditional portraiture by fragmenting the subject. The blinds cast shadows across her face and body, obscuring parts of her and creating an interplay between visibility and concealment. This technique engages with semiotic ideas about how meaning is constructed. The grid symbolizes systems of control, while the partial view of the woman hints at the limitations placed upon representation. Gittings’ use of light and shadow not only adds depth, but also complicates our understanding of the subject, inviting us to question the nature of identity. The formal qualities of the photograph become inseparable from its conceptual underpinnings.