Construct III-D 1980

Barbara Kasten made this photograph by arranging mirrors, translucent screens, and other materials in her studio. These are not traditional art materials, but rather things taken from everyday life and construction. Their arrangement reflects a fascination with light and shadow. Kasten uses colored gels to illuminate the composition, playing with the boundaries between two and three dimensions. The processes involved are both physical and photographic. There is the manual labor of arranging the materials, carefully constructing the still life. And then there's the technical craft of photography, capturing the interplay of light and form. This approach challenges our conventional notions of photography as simply a medium for capturing reality, instead of constructing it. By bringing these different elements together, Kasten invites us to consider the constructed nature of the world around us.