Taryn Simon
author · photographer
Taryn Simon is an American multidisciplinary artist known for her work in photography, text, sculpture, and performance. Born in New York City, she graduated from Brown University in 1997 with a degree in art semiotics, having also studied at the Rhode Island School of Design. Her practice is characterized by rigorous research into systems of categorization, power structures, and secrecy. She often uses large-format cameras to capture images that explore themes such as bloodlines, criminal justice, and global archives. Simon's work has been exhibited internationally in major institutions including MoMA PS1, the Whitney Museum of American Art, Tate Modern, and Centre Pompidou. She was selected as a Guggenheim Fellow in 2001.[1,2,3,4]
Themes
- systems of categorization
- power structures
- secrecy
- bloodlines
- criminal justice
- archives
Books
Works by Taryn Simon
- The Innocents 2002 · Umbrage · book · English ISBN 1-884167-18-7 Documents cases of wrongful conviction in the United States.
- An American Index of the Hidden and Unfamiliar 2007 · Steidl · book · English ISBN 9783865213808 Reveals objects and sites integral to America's foundation but inaccessible to the public.
- Contraband 2010 · Steidl/Gagosian Gallery · book · English Archive of items detained or seized from airline passengers and postal mail.
- A Living Man Declared Dead and Other Chapters I – XVIII 2011 · Nationalgalerie Staatliche Museen/Mack · book · English Explores bloodlines and related stories across eighteen chapters.
- Birds of the West Indies 2013 · Hatje Cantz · book · English Two-part work involving James Bond films and ornithology.
- Paperwork and the Will of Capital 2016 · Hatje Cantz Verlag · book · English Focuses on floral arrangements at political signings.
- The Picture Collection 2017 · Edition Cahiers d'Art · book · English Inspired by the New York Public Library’s picture archive.
- An Occupation of Loss 2017 · Hatje Cantz · book · English Combines performance, sound, and architecture to explore grief.
Exhibitions
- 2003 Taryn Simon: The Innocents MoMA PS1, Long Island City solo
- 2007 Taryn Simon: An American Index of the Hidden and Unfamiliar Whitney Museum of American Art, New York solo
- 2011 Taryn Simon: Contraband Centre d'Art Contemporain Genève, Genève solo
- 2011 Taryn Simon: A Living Man Declared Dead and Others Chapters I - IVIII Neue Nationalgalerie, Berlin solo
- 2011 A Living Man Declared Dead and Other Chapters Tate Modern, London solo
- 2014 Taryn Simon: A Polite Fiction Fondation Louis Vuitton, Paris solo
- 2014 Taryn Simon: The Picture Collection Museum of Contemporary Art in Kraków, Kraków solo
- 2015 Taryn Simon: Rear Views, A Star-Forming Nebula and the Office of Foreign Propaganda Jeu de Paume, Paris solo
- 2016 Taryn Simon: Paperwork and the Will of Capital Tel Aviv Museum of Art, Tel Aviv solo
- 2016 An Occupation of Loss Park Avenue Armory, New York solo
Awards
- 1999 The Alfred Eisenstaedt Award in Photography Columbia University
- 2001 Guggenheim Fellowship John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation
- 2007 KLM Paul Huf Award Foam Fotografiemuseum Amsterdam
- 2008 International Center of Photography Infinity Award for publication International Center of Photography
- 2011 Contemporary Book Award Rencontres d'Arles
- 2017 Honorary Fellowship of the Royal Photographic Society Royal Photographic Society