From An American Index of the Hidden and Unfamiliar
Taryn Simon Cryopreservation Unit, Cryonics Institute, Clinton Township, Michigan Chromogenic Print
Taryn Simon Hymenoplasty Cosmetic Surgery, P.A. Fort Lauderdale, Florida Chromogenic Print
Taryn Simon Live HIV, HIV Research Laboratory,Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts Chromogenic Print
Taryn Simon White Tiger (Kenny) Selective Inbreeding, Turpentine Creek Wildlife Refuge and Foundation, Eureka Springs, Arkansas Chromogenic PrintFrom Contraband
Taryn Simon Handbag, Louis Vuitton (disguised) (counterfeit) 
Taryn Simon Deer penis, Asian origin (9CFR.94) (prohibited)
Taryn Simon Cow hoof bottle, European origin (BSE, Foot and Mouth Disease) (9CFR.94) (prohibited)
Taryn Simon Bird corpse, labeled as home décor, Indonesia to Miami, Florida (prohibited)
Taryn Simon GBL, Poland (used as date rape drug) (illegal)
Taryn Simon Nesting dolls with Disney characters, Snow White (counterfeit)Bio
Taryn Simon is an American photographer, born in New York in 1975. She graduated from Brown University and is a Guggenheim Fellow. Simon's photographs document various American and global truths, such as apocalyptic matter on domestic grounds and confiscated items at JFK International airport. Although the subject matter is diverse, Simon tends toward revealing a powerful identity through such places or objects, aligning them with an American and global identity. Simon refers to her work method as a "schizophrenic approach" to making art, because she is "very particular about light, shape, geometry, and palette." She stated for Interview Magazine, "I try to generate seductive images at sites that are rarely given that consideration and stage. At the same time, I'm committed to realism." (InterviewMag) Visually, Simon's work is haunting and beautiful. Her still life photographs reveal a powerful, identifying presence when the viewer is left considering contextual implications of the objects or places.
McDean, Craig. "Taryn Simon--Interview" Interview Magazine Accessed 17 Oct. 2010
Relates
My work relates to Simon's newest series, Contraband, which the artist documented, over a five day period, all the confiscated items arriving at JFK International Airport through passenger baggage and via airmail. The importance of this work is the contextual representation of object culture and its implications within both global and domestic settings. The extensive catalogs of individual objects, stripped from environmental context and photographed in a forensic manner, seem to overlay a scientific analysis of which types of objects or items are carried in by individuals from which countries, and also which types of objects seem to hold higher levels of global relevance. My work relates to Contraband in that it examines an inter species connectivity which materializes in the form of trophy killing and taxidermy. Simon imposes her analysis on inter-cultural synchrony and I am analyzing an awareness and connection across species and genders. In my work, the taxidermy represents the beloved and the hunted, the dead and the immortal, the stuffed fleshless organism and the status symbol. The lust for such objects to behold is then paralleled with a slight allusion to gender relations. Finally, the images seek to represent a universality and instinctual nature of this struggle. Simon represents a universality using objects in a similar visual way as well. Both works separate the subject from any contextual environment so as to further the concept of the general and universal truth.
The contexts of the works relate as well. Simon's Contraband is also a chilling testament to the vulnerable state of the union. Allowing these items out of the airport could potentially disable the economic and social infrastructure of the country (counterfeit objects, foreign agricultural threats, etc) regardless of how benign such objects seem in their places of origin. Another stem of my work examines the artificial selection which occurs within species when individuals with desirable physical traits are hunted and depopulated. It is ironic to think that such a seemingly inconsequential hobby, which is also argued to control the health of certain species, could possibly render such species endangered and/or extinct.
One final note: taxidermy is considered illegal contraband in Virginia unless possessed by the same individual who acquired the initial tags for the slain animal. It is unlawful to sell or purchase such items in this state.
Quotations:
"Simon photographed each item against a neutral grey background, producing an ‘objective’ scientific record, devoid of context. Removed from the individual passenger’s belongings, each item loses its distinguishing personal associations and is transformed into an artifact of the larger global network."
My work relates to Simon's newest series, Contraband, which the artist documented, over a five day period, all the confiscated items arriving at JFK International Airport through passenger baggage and via airmail. The importance of this work is the contextual representation of object culture and its implications within both global and domestic settings. The extensive catalogs of individual objects, stripped from environmental context and photographed in a forensic manner, seem to overlay a scientific analysis of which types of objects or items are carried in by individuals from which countries, and also which types of objects seem to hold higher levels of global relevance. My work relates to Contraband in that it examines an inter species connectivity which materializes in the form of trophy killing and taxidermy. Simon imposes her analysis on inter-cultural synchrony and I am analyzing an awareness and connection across species and genders. In my work, the taxidermy represents the beloved and the hunted, the dead and the immortal, the stuffed fleshless organism and the status symbol. The lust for such objects to behold is then paralleled with a slight allusion to gender relations. Finally, the images seek to represent a universality and instinctual nature of this struggle. Simon represents a universality using objects in a similar visual way as well. Both works separate the subject from any contextual environment so as to further the concept of the general and universal truth.
The contexts of the works relate as well. Simon's Contraband is also a chilling testament to the vulnerable state of the union. Allowing these items out of the airport could potentially disable the economic and social infrastructure of the country (counterfeit objects, foreign agricultural threats, etc) regardless of how benign such objects seem in their places of origin. Another stem of my work examines the artificial selection which occurs within species when individuals with desirable physical traits are hunted and depopulated. It is ironic to think that such a seemingly inconsequential hobby, which is also argued to control the health of certain species, could possibly render such species endangered and/or extinct.
One final note: taxidermy is considered illegal contraband in Virginia unless possessed by the same individual who acquired the initial tags for the slain animal. It is unlawful to sell or purchase such items in this state.
Quotations:
"Simon photographed each item against a neutral grey background, producing an ‘objective’ scientific record, devoid of context. Removed from the individual passenger’s belongings, each item loses its distinguishing personal associations and is transformed into an artifact of the larger global network."
Gagosian Gallery "New Photographic Series by Taryn Simon at Gagosian" ArtDaily.org Accessed 17 Oct. 2010.
"I think more the cumulative effect of it all was a little depressing, from a commercial standpoint-the redundancy of the material desires. Everyone seems to be chasing the same brand, the same jewelry, the same adornment and excesses. All of these luxury items-or perceived-to-be luxury items-felt like this big mountain of garbage by the end of it all. It was a pretty flat portrait of the world. But, specifically, my biggest frights were with the animals. Besides the bird, there were two other animals, and I'd never seen anything like them before. It's troubling to think of what the officers miss."
Taryn Simon "Taryn Simon Interview" Interview Magazine Accessed 17 Oct. 2010.
"Simon’s photographs chronicle contradictory aspects of American identity while exposing the veiled mechanisms of society. Contraband expands on the earlier series An American Index of the Hidden and Unfamiliar (2007), which explored the covert intersection between private and public domains."**
Gagosian Gallery "New Photographic Series by Taryn Simon at Gagosian" ArtDaily.org Accessed 17 Oct. 2010.
**In addition to looking at object culture more closely, Simon's work has inspired a curiosity about such "private and public domains" and their parallels with the game industry. Acquiring the subjects for my work is increasingly difficult due to regulatory issues in the taxidermy market. This concept of "personal property" and potential confiscation is very interesting, because it intensifies the struggle of object/nature of taxidermy.
Interviews
With Fred Skolnick in Interview Magazine:
http://www.interviewmagazine.com/art/taryn-simon-1/
On previous work, An American Index of the Hidden and Unfamiliar:
Interviews
With Fred Skolnick in Interview Magazine:
http://www.interviewmagazine.com/art/taryn-simon-1/
On previous work, An American Index of the Hidden and Unfamiliar:
Gallery
http://www.gagosian.com/artists/
Website
http://www.tarynsimon.com/index.php
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