“The reason I call myself a documentary photographer is the idea of how photographs contain and participate in history.”
- Name: Catherine Opie
- Born: April 14, 1961
- From: Sandusky, Ohio
- Pronouns: She/her
- Contribution/Impact: Catherine Opie is best known for her photography exploring the lesbian and gay subcultures of Los Angeles and San Francisco in the 1990s through classically inspired and bright color portraits. Her photography is grounded in community and identity connected through personal histories and relationships.
- Occupation: Photographer
- Known For: Being and Having (1991), Kiss My Gender (2019), Emily, Sts, & Becky, Durham, North Carolina (1998)
- Awards: Larry Aldrich Award, the San Francisco Art Institute President’s Award for Excellence, and United States Artist Fellowship
Catherine Opie first started photographing when she was nine and first created her own darkroom when she was 14. Her initial interest in photography was about what as at home; taking a lense like Life or National Geographic magazines where she aimed to show the narrative of life as well as document future history. Opie moved to Los Angeles in 1988, when she was 27, working as a lab technician to support herself as a working artist. She is still based in LA teaching at UCLA and serving as a board member for The Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles.
Handout
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