In An American Index of the Hidden and Unfamiliar, Taryn
Simon documents spaces that are integral to America's foundation,
mythology and daily functioning, but remain inaccessible or unknown to a
public audience. She has photographed rarely seen sites from domains
including: science, government, medicine, entertainment, nature security
and religion. This index examines subjects that, while provocative or
controversial, are currently legal. The work responds to a desire to
discover unknown territories, to see everything. Simon makes use of the
annotated-photograph's capacity to engage and inform the public.
Transforming that which is off-limits or under-the-radar into a visible
and intelligible form, she confronts the divide between the privileged
access of the few and the limited access of the public. Photographed
with a large format view camera (except when prohibited), Simon's 70
color plates form a seductive collection that reflects and reveals a
national identity. In addition to this monograph, there is also an
exhibition of Simon's work opening at the Whitney Museum of American Art
in March 2007.
