Dan's Papers - May 23, 2008 - Steven Klein's Polaroids at Vered Gallery

While the last name Klein is a well-known one in the art world (think Franz Kline and Yves Klein), Steven Klein is not someone who enjoys immediate recognition. Unless, of course, you are familiar with fashion. Then you know that this Klein is a famous fashion photographer, whose images of Madonna, for example, are nothing less than iconic as they are also fine art.

Klein's current show at the Vered Gallery is no less provocative, thoughtful and "edgy" in its way. If that "way" happens to be in the form of polaroids, so be it. But let's face it, polaroids come with a certain bias, evoking the sense that they are an amateur pursuit. Simply put, some people would say that such photographs aren't "art," that they are unprofessional.

Klein's images are not unprofessional. We realize that this photographer knows exactly what he's doing, that the polaroid technique is somehow connected to his message. For us critics, this assertion translates into the principle "form equals content " (the form being polaroids, the message being the content).

What specifically, then, does all this mean in Klein's case? First, the message or meaning. While Klein himself may deny any attempt at interpretations, this critic finds a recurring theme relating to identity.Thus, Klein sees in most of his subjects an ambiguous self and/ or a hidden identity.

Consider Madonna's sexual pose sitting on a bench. Her short red dress and leather boots are striking and may even be "fashionable" in some circles, yet it's her grotesque mask that's important. In fact, it's difficult to know who the subject is except for her "attitude."

There are other images of Madonna where she is similarly hidden by sunglasses or her long hair.

Brad Pitt is another subject where identity is also masked, either when his back is turned away from the camera or when he is turned toward a painting of a nude woman on the wall. There's an image of Pitt looking into a mirror as well, reinforcing the ambiguous nature of the "doppelganger." Finally, there's Pitt wearing a silk stocking over his face, an image which completely distorts his features and his identity.

The polaroid technique that Klein chooses to convey such identity issues has significance as well. Our perception of a polaroid shot is that it "tells the truth." That subjects are being themselves. That the photographer captures a moment in its simplicity.

Of course, Klein doesn't often catch an unguarded moment. He is, after all, a creative artist. But wait a minute. Maybe he is showing us the reality of a person's being, even with his myriad of stylistic touches.

- Marion Wolberg Weiss

Steven Klein's polaroids will be on view at Vered Gallery from May 24 to June 23.