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]
- systems of categorization
- power structures
- secrecy
- bloodlines
- criminal justice
- archives
Books
Works by Taryn Simon
- 2002 The Innocents Documents cases of wrongful conviction in the United States.
- 2007 An American Index of the Hidden and Unfamiliar Reveals objects and sites integral to America's foundation but inaccessible to the public.
- 2010 Contraband Archive of items detained or seized from airline passengers and postal mail.
- 2011 A Living Man Declared Dead and Other Chapters I – XVIII Explores bloodlines and related stories across eighteen chapters.
- 2013 Birds of the West Indies Two-part work involving James Bond films and ornithology.
- 2016 Paperwork and the Will of Capital Focuses on floral arrangements at political signings.
- 2017 The Picture Collection Inspired by the New York Public Library’s picture archive.
- 2017 An Occupation of Loss Combines performance, sound, and architecture to explore grief.
Exhibitions
- 2003 Taryn Simon: The Innocents
- 2007 Taryn Simon: An American Index of the Hidden and Unfamiliar
- 2011 Taryn Simon: Contraband
- 2011 Taryn Simon: A Living Man Declared Dead and Others Chapters I - IVIII
- 2011 A Living Man Declared Dead and Other Chapters
- 2014 Taryn Simon: A Polite Fiction
- 2014 Taryn Simon: The Picture Collection
- 2015 Taryn Simon: Rear Views, A Star-Forming Nebula and the Office of Foreign Propaganda
- 2016 Taryn Simon: Paperwork and the Will of Capital
- 2016 An Occupation of Loss
Awards
- 1999 The Alfred Eisenstaedt Award in Photography
- 2001 Guggenheim Fellowship
- 2007 KLM Paul Huf Award
- 2008 International Center of Photography Infinity Award for publication
- 2011 Contemporary Book Award
- 2017 Honorary Fellowship of the Royal Photographic Society