by Lucy Sante
First published 1997
The camera captures what appears real, but Tina Barney knows better. She arranges her subjects and lighting with calculated precision, then photographs the scene as if stumbling upon it naturally. Her images reveal their constructed nature while depicting genuine human moments. David Levinthal takes a different approach, using toy figures and miniature sets to recreate historical scenes and pop culture moments. His photographs transform plastic dolls into convincing tableaux that question what we accept as authentic. Laurie Simmons joins this exploration by staging domestic scenes with dollhouse furniture and figurines, creating images that feel both familiar and unsettling. These artists work within photography's promise of truth while deliberately showing us the seams. Their pictures function as both lies and accurate portrayals, refusing to let viewers forget that every photograph involves choices about framing, lighting, and subject matter. The tension between authenticity and construction drives their work, creating images that are honest about their own deception.
Genres: art, contemporary, non-fiction, photography
Vibes: intimate, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: unreliable-narrator
72 pages · Paperback · Independent Curators International (ICI)