Philip-Lorca diCorcia at the Hepworth Gallery

This is one of my favourite images by Philip Lorca diCorcia and I managed to see this photograph at the Hepworth gallery in Yorkshire, along with a further 100 photographs taken from diCorcias varying photographic works. This particular image is taken from his series 'The Hustler' created in 1989-1990 and first exhibited in 1993. He received a fellowship from the NEA (National Endowment for the Arts) under strict guidelines the photographs must not be Obscene. Earlier in 1989 Andres Serrano had exhibited a photograph of a crucifix submerged in urine, this caused outrage and led to the changes to funding policies of the NEA. Along side this came the AIDS pandemic in america, indeed diCorcia's brother died of aids in 1988, diCorcia created this body of work as a direct response to the bigotry around homosexuals, especially those working in the arts at the time.

“while AIDS made death commonplace. My brother, Max Pestalozzi diCorcia, died of AIDS on October 18, 1988. How much is too much? My brother was very free. I loved him for it. Freedom has its price, and we never know at the onset what the toll will be. He died unnecessarily. I dedicate this book to him.”- Philip-Lorca diCorcia

The set of images from Hustler look like colour film stills with purposeful narratives behind each image. diCorcia plans and directs his images to the last detail, arranging the sets and lights before the shot is taken creating a photographic film still narrative, entwining with those is the truth of the subject which relates back to social documentary, creating a photographic contradiction which works.

In his book Graham Clarke states "The portrait photograph is, then, the site of a complex series of interactions-aesthetic, cultural, ideological, sociological and physiological. In many ways it simultaneously represents the photographic image at its most obvious and yet its most complex and problematic." diCorcia not only took the photograph but by social circumstance and his direct involvement with the subject matter created something spectacular, atmospheric and haunting.

I am on the 2nd year of a digital photography course and I am only now seeing the merits behind medium and full format photography. The depth you gain through using film is immense, the clarity is excellent and the photograph as art is atmospheric filled with sadness and longing.