Martine Gutierrez, Line Up 1, 2014
MARTINE GUTIERREZ
Line Up 1, 2014
Part of the “Line Up” series
Archival inkjet prints; dimensions:: 43.25in x 27.25in
(c) Martine Gutierrez; courtesy of the artist and RYAN LEE, New York
CURRENTLY ON VIEW: 2nd floor lounge
Line Up 1 and Line Up 4 are two photographs from Martine Gutierrez’s “Line Up” series. The series comprises scenes meticulously staged and constructed by Gutierrez to deceive her audience. Gutierrez appears in these images alongside six mannequins, but she often presented as indistinguishable from them, so that identities shift between artist and mannequin. From the staging to the makeup, Gutierrez executes every aspect of the process. It is the fluidity of her role simultaneously as artist and as a subject of her own work that captivates the audience, as Gutierrez is present but difficult to identify in these scenes. With the “Line Up” series, Gutierrez seeks to question perception, and this aim is much of what builds tension within the photographs. In these fantastical scenes, which hold a dream-like aura, it is difficult to discern what is real and what is not. The viewer is prompted to question not only the identity of the individuals depicted, but every aspect of the image.
Text written by Nick Duque
Student Committee Selection 2016–2017
Adele H. Stamp Student Union—Center for Campus Life