Gallery 1

Tate Modern, London
Street and Studio: An Urban History of Photography
May 22, 2008-August 31, 2008

Wolfgang Tilmans
Circle Line, 2000

Street and Studio: An Urban History of Photography explores the differences and similarities between work made in a studio setting and images taken on the the street. The show successfully displays the attributes of work created in a controlled environment versus those of work created in an unstable environment. My favorite turned out to be those of Wolfgang Tilmans. His images are close-ups of people on the subway. The frame is full with information, which aids in the feeling of cramped and claustrophobic spaces within public transit. Tilman speaks of the intimacy present in these spaces; how close one gets to another but almost refuses to acknowledge them. The image that displays this the best for me is the woman who is confronting the camera with her glare. They are so close, yet her look says STAY AWAY.