"We are the subject" MODEL • ARBUS • SOLOMON

Bruce Silverstein Gallery is pleased to present “We are the subject”, an exhibition featuring the work of Lisette Model, Diane Arbus and Rosalind Fox Solomon.  Harnessing the photographic medium, each of these legendary artists have sought tirelessly to investigate their place in the world, making countless inquiries into their own existences.  Although they have each emerged from a distinct time and place, they are consistent in their dogged exploration of the human condition.  Perhaps even more evident when presented alongside one another, their work shares a concern with extending the boundaries of the self, seeking their own humanity.

Having each been the subject of solo exhibitions at the Museum of Modern Art, New York, the strength of their individual voices is well acknowledged within the photographic canon. For the first time since 1977, when these three groundbreaking artists were first exhibited together at Galerie Zabriskie, Paris, viewers will have the opportunity to experience these powerful voices speaking together once again, surrounded and confronted by over 40 original works.

What unites these three female powerhouses in photography is not their subject matter, nor a simplistic shared vision or approach, but rather it is a passionate desire to explore their personal identities through others.  In her efficacious lessons as teacher, Lisette Model declared a photographer’s subject matter to be both inherently subjective and impartial, reinforcing the dominant role of the self:

“We are the subject, the object is the world around us.” – Lisette Model¹