High Noon: Nan Goldin, David Armstrong, Mark Morrisroe, and Philip-Lorca diCorcia
The exhibition High Noon at Deichtorhallen Hamburg showcases the trailblazing works of Nan Goldin, David Armstrong, Mark Morrisroe, and Philip-Lorca diCorcia.
Having studied photography at the School of the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston during the late 1970s and early 1980s, Nan Goldin, David Armstrong, Mark Morrisroe, and Philip-Lorca diCorcia emerged in the charged political climate of the Ronald Reagan era. Friends Goldin, Armstrong, and Morrisroe immersed themselves in documenting the subcultural bohemia of Boston and New York, communities in which they were deeply embedded.
Their work merges personal perspective with autobiographical intimacy, shaping three distinct and revolutionary visual identities that continue to resonate powerfully. Capturing moments of instability and fragility while reflecting the highs and lows of their generation, they reveal the pleasure and pain of their lives. Like visual diaries, their photographs explore themes of affection, love, sex, friendship, and vitality, juxtaposed with loneliness, addiction, violence, decay, AIDS, and death.
In contrast, Philip-Lorca diCorcia deliberately distances himself from this raw intimacy. His work begins with staged, everyday scenes featuring friends and family, meticulously lit and composed. He develops archetypal concepts, deliberately playing with the notion of photography as both document and fiction.
Curated by Dr. Sabine Schnakenberg, this exhibition at Deichtorhallen Hamburg features one of the most comprehensive presentations of works from F.C. Gundlach’s collection. Comprised of approximately 150 pieces, some large-format, the exhibition highlights Gundlach’s fascination with the intimacy, expressiveness, and individuality of these artists’ works. Gundlach maintained a particularly close relationship with Nan Goldin, whom he supported beginning in the early 1990s.
Nan Goldin (b. 1953): For Goldin, the camera serves as a second set of eyes, capturing her surroundings with unflinching authenticity. Her work intertwines privacy and intimacy, documenting the presence and absence of her many friends. Using artificial light in nocturnal settings—clubs, apartments, and streets—Goldin creates emotionally charged atmospheres that delve into the inner worlds of her subjects. Her raw, snapshot aesthetic transforms her immediate environment into a compelling visual chronicle, where the depth of her personal relationships resonates directly with viewers.
David Armstrong (1954–2014): Armstrong’s black-and-white portraits reflect a quiet sensitivity and restraint, the result of extended sessions in which he seeks to distill a subject’s essence while subtly revealing their desires and fears. His poetic, dreamlike imagery evokes the works of Alfred Stieglitz and Edward Steichen, blending soft painterly qualities with photographic realism. Armstrong’s cityscapes, by contrast, dissolve into blurry, emotional abstractions, reflecting his inner emotional states.
Mark Morrisroe (1959–1989): Morrisroe’s photography places his identity, sexuality, friends, and lovers at its center. Using innovative techniques, such as the “sandwich” process that layers black-and-white and color negatives, he creates prints with nostalgic graininess and soft transitions. Reminiscent of Pictorialism yet distinctly his own, Morrisroe’s deliberate blurring and post-print painting techniques establish a unique and deeply personal visual language.
Philip-Lorca diCorcia (b. 1951): DiCorcia’s meticulously staged photographs balance truth and fiction, blending everyday life with a theatrical, cinematic quality. Drawing from his background in fashion and editorial photography, he creates images marked by intricate lighting and precise compositions. These works encourage viewers to explore their own interpretations, as diCorcia deliberately leaves narratives open-ended, blurring the line
High Noon: Nan Goldin, David Armstrong, Mark Morrisroe, and Philip-Lorca diCorcia
December 13, 2024 – May 4, 2025
Deichtorhallen Hamburg – Germany
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