NADINE ROVNER – SOMEWHERE NOT HERE
2012-04-16In Somewhere Not Here, Nadine Rovner’s scenes of longing, anticipation and hope are formed rather than found by the artist. Rovner works in the tradition of the staged photograph, beginning with a feeling or idea, and creating a scene to portray it. While often associated with contemporary artists, this approach to photography goes back to complex dramas that were made for the camera in the 19th century.
Staged photography is also the foundation for most photographic commercial work, and it has long been a bridge between photography and cinema. Rovner draws from all these precedents, yet her images stand out for their subtlety and understatement. Rather than the harsh irony or hyperrealism that often characterize staged photography, Rovner’s images dwell in a hazy border between reality and memory, hinting at a hidden story, but revealing only fragments. These spare dramas have little overt action, but they contain a palpable sense of tension, like the opening moments in a film, when many things are possible, or the closing sequence where much remains undetermined.
Opposite – One at a Time, 2008
Exhibition runs through till May 5th, 2012
Gallery 339
339 South 21st Street
Philadelphia
PA
19103
