One of the defining artists of her generation, photographer Catherine Opie (*1961 in Sandusky, Ohio) is known for her portraits and landscapes. She has frequently combined these two elements by training her camera on how people take possession of different landscapes—from high-school football players on the field or ice fishermen on frozen lakes to surfers waiting for the next wave. Opie recently returned to the genre of street photography, elaborating on the relationship between people and places. Her latest photographs present political demonstrations and gatherings—ranging from the inauguration of President Obama to Tea Party rallies. Drawing on the long and illustrious tradition of American landscape painting and documentary photography, like that of Berenice Abbott and Robert Frank, Opie affords us a look at democracy in action.Our two Collector’s Editions feature two very different motifs: one might also say, though, that they share the same majestic radiance. One is a fantastic portrait of a young black woman among the crowd waiting for the inauguration of Barack Obama. The other is a picture taken during a journey on a gigantic container ship from Korea to Long Beach. The artist won an art prize connected with this journey, and every day, she photographed the sunrise and sunset.
