Gillian Wearing

Gillian Wearing celebrates her 61st birthday today. 

Mask of Gillian Wearing by Gillian Wearing

Gillian Wearing
Mask of Gillian Wearing by Gillian Wearing
London, UK: Self-published, 2003
23 x 22 cm.
Edition of 4000 numbered copies

Gillian Wearing | Signs that say what you want them to say and not Signs that say what someone else wants you to say

Gillian Wearing
Signs that say what you want them to say and not Signs that say what someone else wants you to say
London, UK:  Interim Art, 1997
[96] pp., 23 x 15.2 cm., softcover
Edition of 1500

"When most people are stopped in the street they expect to be asked questions usually concerned with either a product, money, a survey, a personality test or directions. To be asked only to write something, anything, presents a challenge and creates a totally different relationship to the person posing the question. The bizarre request to be 'captured' on film by a complete stranger is compounded by a non-specific space; the blank piece of paper, which almost replicates an unexposed film.

Perhaps the fascination in the relationship between the person and their slogan is in the confidence or diffidence of the people being 'imaged' in the first place.

This image interrupts the logic of photo-documentary and snapshot photography by the subjects clear collusion and engineering of their own representation."

- Gillian Wearing, artist statement

"What might make it uncomfortable is people being so honest. Especially within the art world, you can get very guarded. That's why I ask strangers, because people are much more honest to someone they're not going to see again."

- Gillian Wearing, interviewed by Ben Judd

From the Unshelved event at the AGO Library last night, hosted by Donald Rance (see previous post).

Gillian Wearing | Total Stranger

Gillian Wearing
Total Stranger
London, UK: AOTUEditions / Art on the Underground Editions, 2013
84 × 52.5 cm.
Edition of 100 signed and numbered copies

“The Tube is full of strangers. We acknowledge this fact, knowing that we too are strangers to others. My project is to photograph a stranger. The person came forward via an open call advertised in the Metro newspaper and on the TfL website. I chose them through a raffle­ticket system, which did not reveal their name, age or gender. Until we met on a train and I took her photograph, I still didn’t know her identity, and she didn’t know who I was either. For a brief moment, we were total strangers to each other.”

- Gillian Wearing