Rose M Barron
- “Lena” from the Southern Portraiture Series
I have obsessively photographed my children since they were babies. Now that they are in their teenage years, I find that examining their identities as well as those of their friends through photography is fascinating.Youth can be seen as a time of searching for identity, during a time in which we also are being consumed socially and culturally with beauty and image. It is a time for exploring new possibilities, experiences and choices. While it is a time of prime physical condition and vitality, it is also a time of uncertainty. I find these concepts to be a common thread in this series of work.
Although I gave some direction, most of the work resulted naturally from the youth themselves. Observing inspired me and the images reflect the youths’ routines and demeanor. While our culture capitalizes youth as a tool of fashion and marketing, my hope is to present youths as complex and engaging human beings. This series deals with representations of young women in our culture presented as a complex state of mind and being.
"Niki" from the Southern Adolescent series
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- “Lena” from the Southern Portraiture series
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- “Nicole”-from the Southern Portraiture series
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- “Jessa”-from the Southern Portraiture series
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- “Niki” from the Southern Adolescent series
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- “Gwen”-from the Southern Portraiture series
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- “Nina”-from the Southern Portraiture series
Hi,
Please tell us more about your image and how you feel it relates to the blog’s theme.
Best,
Jillian
My work deals with identity and gender issues.
I am interested how society and culture shapes our identities. This series of portraits shot in wooded areas isolates the participants from their surroundings.
The adolescent and teen years are a time of excitemment, development and also uncertainty of who they are are who they are becoming. Culture including media dictates much of this. Sensed is a feeling of awkwardness along with beauty.
The subjects seem like they are dropped down in front of a forest backdrop, like at an Olan Mills photo studio at the mall. They could be from almost anywhere in middle class USA.
I especially like their obvious uncertainty about what to to with their arms and legs. It’s been a while, but I remember feeling like that when I was 16…trying hard, but not being sure.
Dear Rose,
Good to see you posting here.
Your portraits remind me of the Sweet 16 photo series by Atlanta-based artist Angela West. (Do you know her work?) Where she pictured them in interior settings, you take them to the woods. The setting/the backdrop, wardrobe, age and attitude of the girls does have the effect of highlighting the cultural critique implicit in the subject.
Best regards,
Cathy
Hi Cathy,
I do know Angela West and her work. If you would like to see how my work evolved please look at my Adolescence series on my website. I should post some images from my Fears and Fantasies seies shown at Gallery Stokes last year but it is on their website under past shows.
Thanks for your post.
Rose
Hi Cecelia,
I wanted a generic background but never thought of it as in Olan Mills-I like that reference for what I was trying to convey.
Thanks for the post,
Rose
Dear Rose,
I find your work very expressive of young ladies, some posing, and others kind of uncertain what to do with their photo-op. I have seen the same reactions from the young ladies I coach and teach, as well as my own daughters. The expressions speak of how free one feels around others, and their personality. I have also observed some of your other photos such as Addison in the Barn, why do they grow up so quickly Rose?