voyeurism and vulnerability:
sitting for portraits in times square

Just off of Times Square, dozens of caricature sketch artists line both sides of 42nd Street. The sidewalks are so densely packed with hypnotized tourists that it's easy for these Thomas Kincades in the rough to lure one in. Enticed by shout-outs like "A portrait for just 5 dollars," "Your family will love it," or "It takes only 10 minutes, come sit down," and sample sketches that look so gosh-darn funny, who could resist?

Once a fish is hooked, the drama then goes like this. The subject sits down on a little stool the size of a kindergarten chair and is positioned into an awkward pose. The subject's face would now have a painfully uncomfortable grin. Having assumed the role of a statue, artist begins to sketch. A crowd quickly gathers and encircles the two. This is not a crowd of family and friends. It's anyone and everyone, from the middle-aged couple from Kansas visiting New York for the first time to the resident wino. As the ring of humans grows tighter and tighter, the subject seems to vacate her body (more so if a woman), leaving behind a smiling mannequin in her place. The crowd alternately scrutinizes the subject and the sketch in progress. "Oh, look, see how much larger he's made her head," or "Oh, that looks just like her -- that's amazing." If the subject is an attractive woman, the ratio of men to women in the crowd goes up dramatically. Hey, it's a free license to check her out from head to toe. No worries about being caught staring.

As the session ends, the subject returns to her body, uncomfortable laughter is exchanged, and the transaction is completed.

The first time I came upon one of these street spectacles, I watched from a distance. As it unfolded, I found it had a strange creepy quality. I looked at the facial expression and body language of the subject. I looked at the crowd. I knew what this was. It was a real-life version of the "going to school naked" dream.

In reality, the caricature sessions seemed to be more fun than painful for everyone involved. But nonetheless, I think the feeling of personal vulnerability in public is a powerful one we all experience. As we move among our fellow humans, we scrutinize and are scrutinized. The reciprocal examination is an essential part of social communication. To live as social beings, we must act as both the (perhaps unwilling) exhibitionist and the voyeur.

About the photography:

I took these photographs over a period of two nights in July 2008. I photographed a variety of subjects. My artistic approach was to take on the role of the voyeur. Other thematic elements I was trying to work in were the captivity of the subject, the violation of the individual, the static state of the subject in contrast to the passersby, the diversity of the spectators, and the incongruous dreamlike backdrop (42nd Street) to the intimate act of sitting for a portrait.