ABSTRACT
ThecollectionofphotographsImmediateFamily(1992)providesagood introductiontotheworkofVirginia-basedartistSallyMann.Itcontains photographsofherthreeyoungchildren-Emmett,Jessie,andVirginiatakenoveraperiodofsevenyears.Inmanywaysthefameoftheir mother/photographerisindebtedtothisexplorationoftheirchildhood which,throughthephotographiclens,hasbecomeasortof"stage"onwhich theyhaveactedouttheirbeauty,playfulness,fears,andsensuality.Before focusingonthebloominglivesofherchildren,MannhadinvestigatedinAt Twelve:PortraitsofYoung'WOmen(1988)thecomplexityoffemaleadolescenceandsexualityinhernativecommunityofRockbridgeCounty,near Lexington,Virginia.Herpicturescapturetheenigmaticpoweroftheemergingsexualityofanumberofyounggirlsandtheirsteppingintoanadult worldforwhichtheydonotyetseemfullyready.In1994,withthepublicationofStillTime,Mannagainproposesphotographsfromherpreviouscollectionswiththeirfocusonpsychicdevelopmentandfamilyrelationships, butalsoherrediscoveredinterestintheSouthasaplace.Here,thelandscapesofGeorgiaandVirginia,devoidofhumantraces,emergeasanemotionallychargedspaceatthecrossroadbetweenthesubjectiveandthe collective,thehereandnowandhistory.In1997MannpublishedMother Land:RecentGeorgiaandVirginiaLandscapes,whichcentersexclusivelyon therepresentationofhernativeSouth.Withhermostrecentpublication,
WhatRemains(2003),Mannmakespublicanew,strikingbodyofimages thatlookfortangibletracesofthemetaphysicalinreallandscapes.Hernew collectionisavisualexplorationofthepowerfulnexusbetweenlifeand death,mortalityandwhatmighttranscendit.Astheartistputsit,What Remains"conceptually...contemplatestwoquestions:Howdoestheearth changethedeadandhowdoesdeathchangethelandscape,orourperceptionofthelandscape?"("SallyMannExhibition.").
