TARYN SIMON – CONTRABAND

Posted on 2010-09-27

Contraband is Taryn Simon’s new series of portraits depicting various items confiscated at Terminal 4 at JFK Airport. It provides an in-depth and curious look at what happens when one culture encounters another. Simon spent five mostly sleepless days at the airport, photographing over 1,000 contraband objects ranging from the relatively unsurprising (counterfeit designer bags, bongs) to the flat-out strange (cow-dung toothpaste, insect larvae). While many of the photographs’ subjects are shocking, they open a discussion about the material values of different cultures and what happens when one set of cultural beliefs is dominated by another. Though the series portrays contrasting cultural values, the repetition of some items demonstrates the universality of certain societal norms, such as the mass-market appeal of cheap, knockoff material goods.

Opposite – DVDs (Lost, Season 4. pirated), Taryn Simon

Exhibition runs through till December 31st, 2010

Lever House Art Collection
390 Park Avenue
New York
10022
USA

www.leverhouseartcollection.com