Last week, I made it back down to Plant Zero's Art Space for the Shane Booth show. Its interesting how similar in concept it was to Guidotti's which I accidentally went to looking for Booth. Both artists seem to have been taking a humanitarian approach to their photos to make a statement to the viewer. Their methods, however, were a bit different. Guidotti showed disabled children in "normal" settings, displaying "normal" characteristics. In striking contrast, Booth portrayed his humanitarian thesis in a representative way. The models in his photographs were meant to represent the exile and discomfort of living in this society with HIV.
Both these artists' approaches were effective, however, Booth's compositions struck me more intensely. I understand the concept, and was able to interpret without being quite as spoon-fed.. I think it was very important conceptually, for example that in every photo, the model's eyes were hidden, emphasizing the feeling of exile and being identified only as a monster or freak. I also could really identify with the positioning of the bodies. In most photos, the model was shown in some kind of recoiled or inhuman position which emphasizes the discomfort and strain put on people carrying the disease. In fact, as a viewer of these images, I was made uncomfortable and very uneasy, which is exciting. To me, art that makes me feel that intensely, in any direction, is good art.
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