Sally Mann - American photographer: biography, creativity

The famous photographer Sally Mann was born in 1951 in the city of Lexington, Virginia. She never left her native land for a long time and since the 1970s she worked only in the south of the USA, creating unforgettable series of photographs in the genre of portrait, landscape and still life. Many of the masterfully photographed black and white photos also feature architectural objects. Perhaps the most famous works of an American are inspired portraits of relatives: a husband and young children. At times, ambiguous photographs brought to the author harsh criticism, but one thing is certain: a talented woman had an invaluable influence on contemporary art. Since the first individual exhibition at the Art Gallery in Washington, DC, in 1977, many photo lovers have been vigilant to follow the development of the new genius.

Stepping forward

In the 1970s, Sally studied a variety of genres, growing up and simultaneously improving in the skill of capturing life. During this period, numerous landscapes and amazing examples of architectural photography were released. In creative search, Sally began to combine elements of a still-life and a portrait in her works. But the American photographer found her true vocation after the publication of her second publication - a collection of photos, which is a whole study of the life and way of thinking of girls. The book was called "At the age of twelve: portraits of young women" and was published in 1988. In 1984-1994 years. Sally worked on the series "Close Relatives" (1992), focused on the portraits of her three children. Babies at that time was not yet ten years old. Although at first glance it seems that the series presents ordinary, routine life moments (children play, sleep, eat) to the audience, each picture involves much larger topics, including death and cultural differences in the understanding of sexuality.

In the collection "Proud flesh" (2009) Sally Mann translates the camera lens to her husband Larry. The publication presents photographs taken over a six-year period. These are frank and sincere images that overturn traditional concepts of the role of the sexes and capture the man in moments of profound personal vulnerability.

Ambiguous snapshots

Mann also owns two impressive series of landscapes: "Far in the South" (2005) and "Homeland". In the collection "What remains" (2003), she suggests analyzing her observations on mortality, consisting of five parts. Here, there are photos of the decomposing corpse of her beloved Greyhound, as well as snapshots of the corner in her garden in Virginia, where an armed runaway criminal entered the Mann family and committed suicide.

Sally often experimented with color photography, but the favorite technique of the master eventually left a black and white photo, especially with the use of old equipment. Gradually, she mastered the ancient methods of printing: platinum and bromo-oil. In the mid-1990s, Sally Mann and other photographers, with a penchant for creative experiments, fell in love with the so-called wet collodion method, a seal in which pictures seemed to acquire features of painting and sculpture.

Achievements

By 2001, Sally had already received a three-time award from the National Endowment for the Support of Arts, was constantly in the center of attention of the Guggenheim Foundation and was awarded the title of "America's Best Photographer" according to Time magazine. Two documentary films were shot about her and her work: "Blood ties" (1994) and "What remains" (2007). Both paintings became laureates of various cinematographic awards, and the project "What remains" was nominated for the Emmy Award for Best Documentary in 2008. Mann's new book is called "Without Traffic: Memoirs in Photos" (2015). Critics met the work of the recognized master with great approval, and the New York Times officially included him in the bestseller list.

The work that is being talked about

It is believed that the best photographers in the world are never associated with any one work or collection; All of their creativity is embodied in the dynamics of improvement, in following the path that is not destined to become passed. Nevertheless, in the extensive work of Mann at the present time, it is easy to single out the iconic collection - a monograph, hotly debated today. This is a series of "Close relatives", imprinted the author's children in normal, seemingly situations and poses.

The images are permanently fixed in the photo. Here is one of the children described in a dream, someone shows a mosquito bite, someone is dozing after dinner. In the pictures one can observe how each child seeks to quickly cross the line between childhood and adulthood, as one exhibits innocent cruelty peculiar to tender age. In these images, there are also the fears of adults associated with the upbringing of the younger generation, and the all-encompassing tenderness and desire to protect that is characteristic of any parent. Here is a half-naked androgyne - it's unclear whether this girl or a boy - stopped in the middle of the courtyard littered with leaves. On his body, here and there, there are spots of dirt. Here, the flexible, pale silhouettes with proud ease move between the heavy, broad-chested adults. The images seem to remind us of a familiar past that has become infinitely distant and unattainable.

Who is Sally?

Of course, it's hard to judge about creativity without touching the personal history of Sally Mann. Children and domestic cares are not the main thing in her life; She first of all creates works of art and only then she enjoys routine affairs like an ordinary woman.

In her youth, Sally and her husband were so-called dirty hippies. Since then, they have retained some habits: to grow almost all food with their own hands and not to attach special importance to money. Indeed, until the 1980s, the Mann family did not earn much: a meager income was barely enough to pay taxes. Passing hand in hand through all the obstacles and difficulties that brought them life, Larry and Sally Mann became a very strong couple. Both of her iconic collections ("Close relatives" and "At twelve years old") the photographer dedicated her husband. While she was shooting with fierce enthusiasm, he was engaged in blacksmithing and was twice elected to the city council. Shortly before the publication of Sally's most famous monograph, her chosen one received a legal education. Now he works at the office very close and almost every day comes home for lunch.

Exceptional occupation

The best photographers do not stop developing. This can be said about Mann, but its potential for development has a curious limitation: she photographs only in the summer, devoting all the other months in the year of printing pictures. To journalists' questions about why you can not work at any other time of the year, Sally just shrugs and says that at any time she can shoot her children for doing homework or ordinary household duties - she just does not take it off.

Roots

According to Sally Mann herself, she got an extraordinary vision of the world from her father. Robert Manger was a gynecologist who participated in the process of the birth of hundreds of Lexington children. In his spare time, he was engaged in gardening and collected a unique collection of plants from all corners of the globe. In addition, Robert was an atheist and an amateur artist. Unsurpassed flair for everything perverted, he inherited his daughter. So, for a long time the famous physician kept on the dinner table a certain serpentine figure of white color - until one of the members of the family realized that the "strange sculpture" is actually a dried dog's excrement.

Path to the legend

Sally studied photography at the Vermont school. In many interviews, the woman claims that the only motivation for studying was the opportunity to remain alone in the dark development room with her then boyfriend. Two years Sally studied in Bennington - that's where she met Larry, whom she herself made the offer. After studying for a year in European countries, the future legendary photographer received a diploma with distinction in 1974, and after another 300 days - supplemented the growing list of achievements with the graduation of the magistracy - not by photography, however, and by literature. Up to thirty years, Mann parallel and photographed, and wrote.

Today, an incredible woman and a popular photographer lives and works in her native city of Lexington, Virginia, USA. From the date of publication to the present moment, her amazing works serve as an invaluable source of inspiration for people of all creative professions.