Rosyln Cohen
Artist's Statement
When I sat down to write my artist statement I approached it like a college assignment. It was long, verbose, maybe insightful but definitely overworked. Then I remembered what LeJean said about the artist's statement; keep it to the points that you would like the viewer to leave with. So here it goes. I graduated from U.I.C. with a BFA, majoring in sculpture.
After graduating I put my art career aside and focused on working full time at the family business. Fifteen years later I realized that while my time in hemostasis was challenging and exciting, there was a void where my art used to be.
Throughout the years when I had free time, I was taking photos. Photos I didn't take haunted me and I decided to take the plunge and pursue photography. After fifteen years away, I turned from film to digital and started from the beginning. I looked for a place which could give me the technical background I needed. It has been a humbling experience, scary and exciting. My biggest struggle has been to release control to the moment. I have become used to spending the time to develop an idea, make sketches and transform a space. Taking photos has forced to me to take the role of observer, not creator. I enjoy the challenge of every photo shoot as I continue my transformation.
The theme for these photos came out of a visit to the beauty shop with my grandmother. My cousin was getting married and the hairstylist opened the salon on a Sunday just for her. I arrived there early and she spoke to me about how long she's known my grandmother and what a wonderful woman she is. I snapped photos during the cut and I began to think about beauty salons, personal relationships, and trust. I decided to explore these ideas more fully in other shops. The beauty shop was always the one space within a seventy hour work week that was about me. There is also the trust and friendship that I have with my hairstylist. I started out with some preconceived notions about the business of beauty and discovered a different space than I expected. The piece became less about personality of the space and the process of obtaining beauty, and more about people. I tried to capture the hair stylists who work so hard at their craft and their relationship with their clients. I feel privileged to share some examples of the strange and wonderful and timeless world of the beauty shop.
These pieces are just a beginning in what I plan to be a long journey. I still have so much to learn about technique, my point of view and capturing the moment.
I'd like to thank LeJean and Richard Stromberg's Chicago Photography Classes for their instruction and support. I'd also like to thank the hairstylists and clients who allowed me into their space. A special thanks to Nicole from Freedom Salon for allowing me to take my self portraits at her space and to David at Sin Qua Non, my own stylist.
