Georgia O'Keeffe 1918

Curator: The photograph we’re observing is a portrait of Georgia O’Keeffe, captured by Alfred Stieglitz in 1918. Editor: It's strikingly intimate. The subdued lighting casts a somber mood; her direct, yet averted gaze makes me think of a quiet rebellion. There is an ambiguity about this woman I’m looking at. Curator: Stieglitz's photographic portrayals of O’Keeffe extend beyond mere biographical recordings. This photograph was created when modernism was transforming the art world, as well as their complicated romantic relationship, where art, personality, and society came together. Stieglitz, deeply influenced by pictorialism, uses soft focus to create an artistic impression rather than a literal record, attempting to expose O’Keefe’s essence rather than just her looks. The politics of depicting women also play a role here. Editor: Absolutely. And that essence feels inherently complex. O'Keeffe's severe hat and dark coat lend an air of masculinity to her and simultaneously frame a contrast with the softness of the high-collared scarf that caresses her neck. There is an active and conscious effort to not play into gender expectations, refusing any possible fetishization of the female form that society, the market and implicitly Stieglitz, might be inclined towards. Curator: Indeed, she’s far from passive in these images. These photographs actively challenge and negotiate O'Keeffe's role within the art world but also society, mirroring the societal shifts happening at that time and reflecting the emerging role of women in creative fields. She wasn't simply Stieglitz's muse. It was O’Keeffe’s independent spirit that intrigued him in the first place. Editor: The background feels evocative too, almost lunar or abstract, hinting perhaps at her interiority and further complicating any singular interpretation. The pictorialist approach and even the fact that he selected photography seem relevant here; they provided opportunities to capture both realism and psychological depth, offering viewers a multilayered experience, blurring conventional categories. Curator: I agree. These portraits provide rich insight into the social and artistic context that both Stieglitz and O'Keeffe occupied, providing us with more questions about identity, power, and representation. Editor: And on a more intimate level, considering how Stieglitz helped to elevate O’Keefe to an icon of American modernism. A portrait of a person and of an era.