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David Levinthal, Untitled from the series American Beauties, 1990, Polaroid Polacolor ER Land Film, 24 × 20 in. (61.0 × 50.8 cm), Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of an anonymous donor, 2017.32.8, © 1990, David Levinthal
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Artwork Details
- Title
- Untitled from the series American Beauties
- Artist
- Date
- 1990
- Location
- Not on view
- Dimensions
- 24 × 20 in. (61.0 × 50.8 cm)
- Copyright
- © 1990, David Levinthal
- Credit Line
- Gift of an anonymous donor
- Mediums Description
- Polaroid Polacolor ER Land Film
- Classifications
- Keywords
- Allegory — quality — beauty
- American
- Landscape — beach
- Object Number
- 2017.32.8
Artwork Description
The distinct look of the American Beauties series came about after a long day of shooting Western pictures at the 20x24 Polaroid Studio. Levinthal positioned a newly acquired pinup figure on a bed of sand leftover from his cowboy photos and removed the spray-painted Wild
West background. He then photographed the solitary figure with dramatic lighting in a darkened studio. Levinthal loved the simplicity of the result and the sculptural quality of the tiny toys. The images are among the artist's most evocative and enigmatic--nocturnal beach scenes where the world of childhood innocence intersects with the world of adult experience.
Exhibitions
June 7, 2019–October 14, 2019
Populated with toy cowboys and cavalry, Barbie dolls and baseball players, David Levinthal’s photographs reference iconic images and events that shaped postwar American society.