Mona Kuhn

Website

Mona Kuhn - if we could all see light like she does.  Her images make me exhale.  They are warm comfortable and beautiful.


Mona Kuhn was born in São Paulo, Brazil, in 1969, of German descent. She received her BA from The Ohio State University, before furthering her studies at the San Francisco Art Institute in 1996 and then at The Getty Research Institute, Los Angeles in 1999.  Mona Kuhn's work is figurative.  She is interested in redefining ways of looking at the body, as a residence to ourselves.  Her work has been exhibited, and is included in public and private collections, internationally and in the United States. Kuhn’s first monograph, Photographs, was debut by Steidl in 2004; immediately followed by, Evidence, published by Steidl and released in Spring 2007.  The images appearing inEvidence were photographed entirely in France, where she resides each summer. 

Anne Arden McDonald

Website

Untitled Self Portrait #3, Connecticut, 1987

Untitled Self Portrait #55, Ohio, 1994

Untitled Self Portrait #29, Massachusetts, 1990

This is my favorite self portrait artist.  This quote from her sums up so much

“My images serve as visual metaphors for struggles we face every
day; tensions and balances, keeping hope alive against the obstacles,
and living in a vulnerable way without being crushed” (Ann
Arden McDonald)

Anne Arden McDonald (1966- ) was born in London, but grew up in

Atlanta, Georgia. She created a body of self portraits between the

ages of 15 and 30. She would build installations in the landscape or

abandoned interiors and make private performances for her camera

in these spaces.

The work of Anne Arden McDonald has become hugely influential

on me. I am drawn to her ability to communicate such a large range

of emotions in her imagery. Her images suggest fear, loneliness,

joy and hope to me. She seems to clearly speak to the viewer. I believe that this is because of the honesty she reveals in her work.

This idea keeps me striving to be as open as I can as I photograph.

It reminds me that I am only hindering myself if I am holding back.

I also look to her work as an example of the artist engaging with

the scene. She has chosen to photograph herself in landscapes or

abandoned places, each place she seems to have a strong connection

to.

Her images are full of mystery, but also seem very purposeful.

This allows the viewer to create his or her own story as he or she

pleases to relate to her work.

Dawn Heumann

www.dawnheumann.com

This is a student that I had the opportunity to meet.  Her work surprised me.  It is an exploration of these ugly spaces but the way she composes and pays careful attention to light she is able to create beautiful images.  The are quiet moments that seem to be part of my past, not because they remind me of anything from my past but because she is sharing these spaces in such an intimate way I feel I know them somehow.  My favorite images are not on her website but these are a few from her website that struck me.