This Gail Albert Halaban image seems to ask: Is the child an accessory?
GAIL ALBERT HALABAN HAS MADE a celebrated career of photographing her peer group—her generational sisters, one might say. She made pictures of students when she was one; of 30-something professional women and young mothers next. Like her previous series, the new work in Out My Window, which opened Thursday at Robert Mann Gallery, is of people (usually women) in their homes, this time looking out onto New York City. It’s a perspective TSP can imagine Albert Halaban having glimpses of, with the imminent birth of her second child—the one she always knew she must give to her first. “I could not imagine not having a sibling,” she says. “It is the greatest gift in the world.”
“I have one sister and one brother,” she adds, “and despite the fact that we are incredibly different, my life would not be the same without them. My family is my anchor and my inspiration. In fact, I am only having another child for my daughter’s sake.”
Her own experience has been that formative, Albert Halaban says, though she claims she and her sister never argue (or agree) about anything. Sound familiar?
From the new show 'Out My Window' at Robert Mann Gallery.
The new show is the second solo one at Robert Mann for Albert Halaban, who studied at Brown University and Rhode Island School of Design, then earned her MFA from Yale University. The packed house Thursday night at the opening included her sister; her brother, a historian, was “a big inspiration in the conceptual planning of the project,” she says, and will travel to see the new show and the new baby at delivery time.
The work that Gail shared with TSP for the gallery below derives from two earlier series, which were widely noted in the press.
“Like Tina Barney and Nan Goldin,” said The New York Times, “Ms. Albert-Halaban uses her camera like an anthropologist. The expertly made pictures here focus on the domestic and recreational lives of West Coast career women, all in their 30’s…. her subjects visibly enjoy the privileges of their class yet one senses throughout the series a certain anxious ennui.”
Calling the images “heavy-handed,” The New Yorker then quickly said this: “…but she stages these images so deftly that you believe every one, even if you’d rather not.” Indeed.
In Gail Albert Halaban's image, concentration amid chaos.
As imposing as Gail’s tableaux can feel at first, they also bear careful, quiet inspection: Yes, the young mother is surrounded by a swarm of children in the bathroom, by hubbub that can distract her and the viewer, but look again: She is also focusing on pulling one child’s tooth, which is tethered to a string for the operation. Or another: Two sisters talk intently at a Mexico City restaurant table (top), grabbing your attention at first, while underneath a small girl plays alone as if forgotten.
Seeing photographs like those, TSP’s sisters just wanted to know more about Gail.
THE TSP INTERVIEW WITH GAIL ALBERT HALABAN
Gail Albert Halaban and her daughter, who is about to have a sibling of her own.
Q. “You know you’re a sister when…”
A. “You prefer your sister to go to an amnio of your baby over your husband, who would faint.”
Q. Best of/worst of experiences with your sister?
A. “My worst experience with my sister was bringing her to the emergency room, where she passed out. My best experience was five hours later when she was fine. It made me realize that it was worth moving across the country to be closer to my sister just so I could be there if needed, even though she rarely needs anything.”
Q. Are there cultural or pop-culture references you love, or love to fight about? Or ones that make you think of your sibling or of sisterhood?
A. “My sister and I are so completely different we don’t argue about anything—nor do we agree on anything. We have completely different frames of reference. We break any stereotypes of what sisters are supposed to be like—we have nothing in common but no one makes me laugh harder for no apparent reason.”
Q. What does the word sister mean to you?
A. “The person who will always be there for me.”
Q. What’s the greatest lesson you’ve learned from your sister?
A. “Get along, don’t fight.”
THE TSP GALLERY OF GAIL ALBERT HALABAN’S WORK
You can visit the new show, Out My Window, at Robert Mann in New York City through March 28, 2009, or online. Albert Halaban’s personal website is another resource for her powerful work, past and present. A sampling of two of her older series that TSP particularly loves is shared below.
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TSP is indebted to our longtime sister in life, photographer Erica Berger, for bringing Gail’s work to the TSP Galleries. Visit Erica’s personal site, her TSP show of childhood photos, and look for more from her soon here, too.
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As soon as I saw this work–which I love–I knew–she had to be the photographer who shot my dear friend Hilary (and a group of HER sister-friends) to illustrate a New York Times magazine story a few years ago. Six degrees, indeed! That photograph is here: http://www.nytimes.com/2003/06/29/magazine/29WWLN.html?ex=1234328400&en=164f8d3915422966&ei=5070
I find myself with my hands on either side of my face (the Home Alone pose, as it’s known) gasping at these. The stories embedded in each are so rich.
Looking at the child under the table, my memory rushed back to a restaurant on NYC’s Columbus Avenue, as one of my dearest friends told me why she had to leave her husband. Her infant was asleep under the restaurant table, in the car seat. There we sat, head-to-head, holding hands as she unfolded her tale.
I had no idea of her sorrow.
We had just been to the christening.
What a great portfolio of images – each one tells a story – an intimate collection – vibrant and somehow sad and beautiful.
Examples of photography in it’s truest form. Wonderful !
Kit
Welcome, Tarky7 of Flickr fame. :) We are so proud to have Gail here with us. Her new show is brilliant; be sure to visit it online or in person at her gallery. Wow.