Portretten 1941 - 1945

These adjacent portraits by Flex Foto, most likely from between 1941-1943, show a young woman at a particular historical moment. I’m curious about the photographic process itself, and what it might have been like to be her in that moment, in that studio. The framing of this double portrait reminds me of work by the artist John Currin, in the sense that the way we view images of women involves a lot of looking and comparing. The portrait on the left catches her in a more contemplative, serious mood; the one on the right shows her smile and warmth. Both images sit on a larger gray card like twin studies. I wonder if Flex Foto wanted to suggest the complexities of her inner life. I always imagine artists in conversation, and perhaps Flex Foto was in conversation with other portraitists, each trying to capture something essential about their sitter. I imagine the woman looking at this card and wondering which one captured the truest version of herself.