Wild Things 1999

Ever felt like you want to escape to the wilderness? ️ ‘Girl Pictures’ is a series of images captured by the American photographer Justine Kurland, born in 1969. Each of the photographs depict free-spirited teenagers in desolate locations. Kurland began the project in 1997, when she herself was a student at Yale. This photograph is titled ‘Wild Things’, and was staged in 1999. We see seven girls amongst the spindly trees and tall grass of a midwestern forest. Kurland has opted to shoot the girls in an untouched environment; the forest feels far-removed from civilisation, almost like a secret world. The figures seem unaware of the photographer’s presence – the tone is natural, and we feel part of the group. In creating this series, Kurland was inspired by popular adventure stories as well as 19th-century landscape photography. ‘Girl Pictures’ offers a reinvention of this rural aesthetic, replacing cowboys with confident and independent young women. There is a sense of liberty and fearless rebellion which resists commercial expectations. The image features tones of green and brown, creating a natural and earthy aesthetic. The warm colour filter and hazy focus are nostalgic. Does ‘Wild Things’ evoke any specific memories for you?