Sepia International is an organization “dedicated to supporting and encouraging artists of all nations whose work reflects issues unique to their socio-cultural environment, by highlighting the vision and skill of photographers from all over the world. “- www.sepia.org

Elinor Carucci, Ice Cream, 2007

I was led through the current exhibiton “The Initimate Line” by one of the artists, Elinor Carucci. The other artists in the show are Sunil Gupta, Amy Jenkins, and Angelika Sher.

Carucci, an Israeli-born artist who lives and works in New York, has always used her family and self as subjects for her photos. In the series My Children, on view here, Carucci documents a new phase in her life—-that of motherhood.

Elinor Carucci, Bath, 2007

Pictures of children crying when given medicine, snooping when curiosity takes over and moments of simple tenderness are included. Carucci honestly documents the ups and downs that occur on a daily basis in a home with young children. Her works are extremely powerful and moving.

Sunil Gupta is HIV positive and in his photographs he relates to children with his shared situation. He focuses not on the illness of the children but on the innocence of childhood by photographing everyday images from the home where the HIV positive children live in India.

Amy Jenkins, The Audrey Samsara, 2004

Jenkins video on view is of her breastfeeding her daughter who cyclically falls asleep, wakes up to feed, and falls asleep again. The mother’s face is not seen and so the focus becomes the daughter and the natural act which creates an intimate bond between the two.

from the series 13, 2008/9

Sher’s photos share images from her own childrens’ lives but unlike Carucci’s, they capture moments of childhood experiences in a joyful way using bright colors and carefully planned compositions.

The show is beautiful and Carucci’s works in particular struck me in their honesty. The experience was tainted a bit, however, when certain members of the group of Junior Associates from MoMA I was with asked bizarre questions of Carucci. One man expressed his discomfort at seeing a nude child hanging in a gallery while another asked if Carucci worried about a pedophile buying one of the images of her children without clothes. Carucci remained poised and confident when responding to their outrageous comments. I mean shouldn’t we be comfortable with our bodies? If people have a problem with this show then a) they probably don’t have children and b) they have their own issues they have to work out. With the glut of so- so shows out there right now, this show exhibits work that captures human connection and real emotion. Bravo, Sepia!