Redefining Smartphone Photography
By Jehan Jillani
Photograph by Henry Jacobson
This June, the exhibit "The Space Between: Redefining Public and Personal in Smartphone Photography" opened at the Center for Photography in Woodstock, New York. The show—which includes the work of Laura El-Tantawy, Henry Jacobson, Chip Litherland, Florence Oliver, Kerry Payne, Mark Peterson, Sofia Verzbolovskis and the collectives Echo/Sight and Tiny Collective—brings together photographers who have found innovative and effective ways to use smartphones in their artistic practice.
"Every shift in photography has been linked to a shift in technology," the exhibit's curator, Henry Jacobson, told me. "But what makes smartphone photography so different is the instantaneous sharing that this device enables." Jacobson was interested in seeing how professional photographers, well versed in the medium's history, have reacted to the rise of "deeply personal and deeply anonymous platforms" like Instagram. He cited El-Tantawy's images of London and Cairo as strong examples of how one could explore one's own space as part of a public conversation. "Her images on Instagram allow us to share her experience [of living in two cities] in a visceral, evocative, and emotional way," he said. Jacobson also expressed excitement about the collaborative efforts of Echo/Sight (Danny Ghitis and Daniella Zalcman) and Tiny Collective. "Such initiatives could only take place on Instagram," he told me. "They are like real-time salons."
Despite Jacobson's enthusiasm for smartphone photography, he believes that turning these images into physical prints and displaying them in a gallery context was an important step. "It not only verifies smartphone photography but also allows viewers to consider their relationship with the images," he said. "These are some of the things that you can only do in a show." The exhibit will be up until August 31st.
All images courtesy The Center for Photography at Woodstock.
Jehan Jillani is a member of The New Yorker's photo department.
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