I was delighted to read a brief conversation between the extraordinary Amy Sherald and my friend Marc Payot this morning. The conversation revolves around Ms. Sherald’s process and her understanding thereof. I do not want to ruin the experience of reading the interview which can be found here, but I do want to highlight the fact that Ms. Sherald’s work is rooted in her vision and her ability to capture the symbolism of her sitters through photography as a starting point.
So much of we she spoke to in this interview reminds me of my own understanding of the arts, and the power of photography as a medium to fulfil the complex rendering of our multifaceted society. I would be remise if I did not mention the parallels in the intent and artistic process between Amy Sherald and August Sander.
Some would say that the medium itself requires a separation, but this is nothing more than subservience to a technical definition and has little to do with how creativity works. It is always about the process being used to achieve the desired results. Amy Sherald is successful in this. I am looking forward to seeing the exhibition at Hauser&Wirth very soon.
