A friend of mine first introduced me to the work of Sally Mann a few years ago. Showing me a book of her work Immediate Family, I was struck by Mann’s work as it is very unique, her work covers a lot of themes within each photograph. They stood out to me because I think they are very beautiful images but at the same time there is an essence of her sexualizing her children, which makes it uncomfortable to look at in some respects, making the viewer question whether to like them or not.
To me I think it is very creative, how she creates the viewer to think about what they are looking at and think about their response. They are stunning images, but could be seen to hold controversy. Although the children are naked in some of the images, they portray qualities of dignity, individuality and intimacy. You can see the relationship with her children is strong.
Mann’s work has elements of film noir with the soft black and white contrast, and the clothes and props the children have, such as pearls, white dresses and cigarettes. Mann has created images that show children acting as adults with them smoking and pushing prams, which i think is very effective.
The series focuses on her three children, all aged under ten. The photographs brought up a lot of controversy due to the children being naked in some shots. She became famous for her “controversial” photographs, critics accused her of creating pornography, being a bad mother, abusing her children and providing an incitement to pedophiles. While the series does show themes like cultural perceptions of sexuality, they also depict the ordinary moments in their daily lives, playing, swimming and dressing up. I think her work is very effective and elegant.
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