Katherine 1921

Curator: Up next we have Alfred Stieglitz's gelatin silver print "Katherine," from 1921. A bold statement from a man more known for his portraits of Georgia O’Keefe, no? Editor: Yes, indeed! At first glance, the image strikes me with its sheer materiality. The stark monochrome enhances the almost palpable wetness of the bathing suit clinging to the subject’s body. Curator: Absolutely. There’s this intriguing push and pull between objectification and pure aesthetic fascination. It feels surprisingly intimate, though cropped just below the shoulders and mid-thigh. What do you read in her stance? Editor: There’s a strength in the casualness, wouldn’t you agree? The model, whose lower face we can not view, has both hands placed firmly on her hips, which defies the sort of demure poses of that era. This resonates deeply within feminist discourse; subverting the passive objectification of women within artistic expression, suggesting that the model is at home in her skin. Curator: Right! And the clothing… It wasn't so long ago when modest swimwear completely hid women’s forms, but here is someone whose outfit reveals everything it hides! The light glints of off water beaded on what you see is not flesh adds to this feeling of revealing yet also masking, perhaps questioning definitions of beauty. Editor: Precisely! This work also invites broader questions about the male gaze. Was Stieglitz using photography to liberate or to capture, perhaps even exploit, his subject? Or can it be that those options don’t apply at all, that it may just be what it is—art! I am conflicted! Curator: That friction is everything! As we leave "Katherine", it really does sit in the soul as something unforgettable and ever-challenging. Editor: Concurred. Thank you to everyone joining us. Hopefully, that encouraged reflection beyond face value.