Copyright 2014 Terry Brown & Gordon Stettinius
Photographic collaborators: Terry Brown (resides Richmond, VA) & Gordon Stettinius (resides Richmond, VA) USA
Publisher: Candela Books (Richmond, Virginia)
Essays: Dr. Manuel Moore, Terry Brown, Gordon Stettinius
Text: English
Hardcover book, embossed and tipped-in image, sewn binding, four-color lithography, index, printed by Worth Higgins & Associates, Richmond, VA
Photobook designer: Sarah Rowland
Notes: This photobook is a humorous eight year collaboration between of two photographers, with Terry Brown making the exposures of her subject, Gordon Stettinius (perhaps an alter-ego series of selfies?), with Gordon having the opportunity to play a variety of roles. This conceptual project also reminds me of the work of Cindy Sherman, another photographer/artist who is very adapt at playing a variety of roles for her lens. The reader has an opportunity to really get to know the wild and crazy side of Gordon Stettinius. I will admit, not realizing that this project was underway or knowing Stettinius, it was pretty perplexing to figure out just who Stettinius actually was when I found some of these portraits on-line over the last couple of years.
These interesting, albeit playful, series of studio portraits also has a serious undercurrent that investigates perceived roles and identities.The viewer cannot help in reacting to the various visual persona’s that are represented in this portfolio; hippie, dork, right-wing conservative, left-wing intellectual, low-life, ex-military, skin-head, artist, politician, country musician and even a cross-dresser. I find that this project pokes fun at many of the stereotypes of our society (regretfully pre-Trump), while subtly confronting some of the cultural issues we face today.
Cheers
