Nan Goldin (American, b. 1953) Kenny Putting On Makeup, 1973 Cibachrome color print Gift of Jeffery Horrell, ‘75 and Rodney Rose 2003.7
Nan Goldin’s work is known for dealing with queer bodies and
intimate moments. This is best seen in The Ballad of Sexual
Dependency, a slide show and book of Goldin’s photography that
includes this image. In the photograph, Kenny is a striking figure as
he applies makeup. His gaze is fixed on a compact and he does not
acknowledge the camera. The viewer is invited into a moment of
gender experimentation rather than a direct confrontation against
cultural norms. Goldin creates a space where gender-play and
bodies that push back against gender norms are given
photographic representation.