14 February–1 June 2014
The Hepworth Wakefield
Gallery Walk
Wakefield
West Yorkshire WF1 5AW
From Friday 14 February, The Hepworth Wakefield will present the UK’s first major survey of work by Philip-Lorca diCorcia (b. 1951; Connecticut, USA), one of America’s most important and influential contemporary photographers. This large-scale survey offers a unique opportunity to appreciate the breadth and complexity of diCorcia’s work, with over 100 photographs from six major series on display.
Spanning four decades, from his earliest series, “A Storybook Life” (1975–1999) to his ongoing project, “East of Eden” (2008–present), the photographs represent the unique way in which diCorcia negotiates the relationship between the staged and documentary photograph. This exhibition situates his work within historical debates around the status of truthfulness that is often ascribed to the photographic image. The seemingly spontaneous pictures of everyday life belie the intricate staging of every detail in each photograph.
Often set in real locations, the lighting, subjects and arrangement are in fact carefully planned in advance, building the sense of heightened reality that characterises diCorcia’s images. “Hustlers” (1990–92) shows male prostitutes, each in a different carefully staged setting. The evocative titles of each photograph give the name, age, hometown and the amount diCorcia paid each man for posing for the picture. The “Streetwork” series (1993–99) shows people caught unawares, photographed on the street, a theme also developed in the series “Heads” (2000–01), where single figures appear entirely withdrawn into themselves.
In Lucky 13 (2004)—an American phrase that describes the warding off of a losing streak—dramatically lit pole dancers are caught suspended in time and space. “East of Eden” (2008–ongoing) draws loosely on narrative incidents from the Old Testament in images that are stylistically varied. The exhibition also includes the series “A Storybook Life” (1975–99) presented here in its entirety of 76 photographs. Although there is no explicit narrative, people, family members and themes reoccur, leaving the viewer to construct their own story.
Born in 1951 in Hartford, Connecticut, diCorcia studied at the School of the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston until 1975 before receiving his Master of Fine Arts from Yale University in 1979. He has been living and working in New York since the early 1980s. His first solo museum exhibition took place at The Museum of Modern Art in New York in 1993, followed by others at the Institute of Contemporary Art in Boston in 2007 and at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art in 2008. To date, only samples from diCorcia’s various series have been presented in solo or group shows in the UK.
Simon Wallis, Director of The Hepworth Wakefield said: “It’s inspiring to see this important survey make its British debut in Yorkshire. We’re looking forward to developing our engagement with photography as an art form through presenting a major survey exhibition by one of America’s most significant and influential contemporary photographers. DiCorcia’s work continues to challenge our assumptions about the medium of photography in fascinating ways. It’s a timely moment to consider this ambitious body of work that contains so many memorable and arresting images.”
Visitors can enjoy free admission to the Philip-Lorca diCorcia exhibition and collection displays. For full details of The Hepworth Wakefield’s spring programme, including events and activities, please visit www.hepworthwakefield.org or call +44 (0) 1924 247360.
This exhibition is organised by Schirn Kunsthalle Frankfurt in collaboration with De Pont, Museum of Contemporary Art Tilburg, the Netherlands. With kind support from Sprüth Magers Berlin London and David Zwirner, New York/London.
