SALLY MANN (1951- ) Untitled (Self-portraits). A triptych of three unique ambrotypes on black glass, the plates each measuring 15x13 1/2 inches (38.1x34.3 cm.), the second dated "Summer 2011" in red crayon on verso and the third with Mann's etched signature and copyright, on verso. 2011
Acquired from Edwynn Houk Gallery, New York, in 2012.
Sally Mann began photographing her family in 1984. She had had her first solo exhibition seven years earlier, at the Corcoran Gallery in Washington, D.C. Having made her photographic debut with architecture and portrait photography, Mann's choice in subject matter has evolved over time.
This triptych of unique ambrotypes on black glass exemplifies Mann's more recent focus on self-portraiture. The surface-level scratches on the photographic emulsion harmonize with the shallow depth of field. The labor of crafting an image is evident, both in the framing of the image as well as the technique.
The filmic quality of this triptych is reminiscent of Eadweard Muybridge's motion studies. Not only does each image speak to a different angle of the subject's face, but they also start to piece together a visual, filmic narrative: each image vibrates with the next. Mann's choice to sparingly light the scene suggests a sense of intimacy: we are made privy to a moment of reflection and curiosity.
