Laura Salierno's Photography PREV / 2 of 2 / NEXT admire? LAURA: Gregory Crewdson, Philip-Lorca diCorcia. Nan Golden, Diane Arbus... Obviously I like their aesthetic qualities, but also their projected realities. Even their work that's classified as documentary is very subjective. I like how they see their world, how they create their own version of the world in photos. TWEED: Well how do you feel about photography and politics? Do you feel images are being used to manipulate the masses? LAURA: Of course! [Laughs] I wouldn't blame it all on photography. Television, still photos and illustrations have been around changing the way people think long before this administration. The Nazis made an art out of manipulating people through propaganda. The same medium is used to sell you a pair of pants as to sell you a war. Those who control what you see control what you believe. It's all about exposure. If you don't look for alternatives to what's around you, you'll just take what's fed to you. Consumerism, politics... Makes you hungry... TWEED: So what's "Darling" and how do I get it? LAURA: Darling is a line of customized stationary and greeting cards that Rebecca Kimmons and I are producing. If you want it, we make it. Wedding invitations, announcements... We get a lot of initial contacts through email. [laura AT salierno DOT com] It's real cheap for the quality! [Laughs]. We're starting a joint photo studio which we'll have a website for in the near future. We're just attempting to make a living in our field. We create distinctive and beautiful imagery for people. TWEED: I heard a rumor that Polyvinyl Records asked you to do new promo photos for their bands? LAURA: [Puzzled] That's news to me. I like Mates of State and Rainer Maria... I wouldn't mind working with Polyvinyl, but there's definitely been no communication there. [Laughs] Where'd you here that? TWEED: Ok, that's a total lie then. [Pause] Do you have any interest in that sort of thing? I mean band photography, or pop-culture documentary? LAURA: Yea, that'd be great. I take pictures of anything. It's a good genre—promoting indie bands. And I'm very interested in documenting American life and pastimes... The dirty stuff: McDonald's, etc. I started at a water park in Flordia. How we spend our leisure time is fascinating. Band photography is fun, dramatic. Models who are willing to do what I want is exciting. Ahh puppets... TWEED: How can someone contact you? Are you taking new projects right now? LAURA: Yea, we're always interested in new projects. Email is the best right now. Becky and I will eventually have a studio site up under a new name, related to Darling of course. People should visit my site at salierno.com. Send an email to laura AT salierno DOT com and we'll talk. --Stewart Smith Wednesday, 14 April 2004 (c) Copyright 2024 Tweed Media PREV / 2 of 2 / NEXT