Julia’s first New York solo exhibition opens at Jenkins Johnson Gallery, New York titled “Persona.” With an already established international reputation, this will be Fullerton-Batten’s first solo show in New York and her first with Jenkins Johnson Gallery. There will be an opening reception with the artist on Thursday, May 17th from 6 to 8 pm.

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“Persona features the world-premiere of Julia Fullerton-Batten’s new series Mothers & Daughters, her most recent exploration of the unique and difficult time of adolescence. The series, inspired by her and her sisters’ relationship with their mother, portrays the complex and sometimes challenging relationship between mothers and their daughters. She continues to work with street-cast, non-model subjects, whose subtle awkwardness and discomfort in front of the camera emphasizes the reality of the scenes. Her use of eerie artificial light gives the final photographs a theatrical, other-worldly atmosphere. In “The Party is Over,” Fullerton-Batten highlights the development of her teen figure and shows how the pair have progressed from childhood dependence on the mother to the first exertion of youthful independence. Through depiction of infant, adolescent, middle aged, and elderly subjects in this series, Fullerton-Batten showcases this reliance structure shifting throughout the lifespan of the mother-daughter relationship.

Further examining the complex relationships of adolescence is Fullerton-Batten’s Awkward series, also exhibiting in New York for the first time. In these works, Fullerton-Batten delves into interactions between the sexes, creating a sense of heightened stress. While there may be underlying sexual tension, largely hormonal, the teens lack the maturity to know how to handle their very adult impulses. This examination of interactions is similar to the photographer’s motivation in Mothers & Daughters, providing us with further insight into the lives of teenagers. Also featured in Persona are four works from Fullerton-Batten’s seminal 2005 series Teenage Stories, which documents the start of her study of teen girls. “Book,” “Broken Eggs,” “P&O,” and “Reflection in Water” are sold out prints available here for a limited time. These works have been extremely popular since their inclusion in Fullerton-Batten’s 2007 book Teenage Stories. In this series, she heightens and emphasizes the girls’ feelings of not belonging by photographing them as giants amid miniature villages. The pieces, while visually stunning, also capture the vulnerability of youth.

Thursday May 17th 2012
6pm – 8pm

Jenkins Johnson Gallery
521 West 26th Street, 5th Floor
New York, NY 10001
212.629.0707