Cynthia Korman, Ciudad Satelite, Mexico City, 1968, William Silano, chromogenic print
© The Estate of William Silano. Courtesy Deborah Bell Photographs
Transcript
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MALE NARRATOR: This bold image features a model in a white dress and bolero jacket designed by Mollie Parnis. But photographer William Silano went beyond just photographing. He captured a fantasy. Of his work, Silano said: “I try to create an emotion on the level of the subconscious. Deeply involved in my era, I feel l have implicitly represented the needs and dreams of my contemporaries. In my images I try to fulfill their need for escape, their desire to go to the moon…to create a more beautiful environment.” Here, the woman stands amongst a field of tall, narrow towers awash in a bright, overpowering red light.
MELANIE PULLEN: This is so interesting because it’s not black and white.
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MALE NARRATOR: Los Angeles-based photographer, Melanie Pullen:
MELANIE PULLEN: [cont.] It's red with shadows, but it's very similar to a black and white photo in the way it makes the shadows stand out. He is telling a story with his high contrast and use of shadows and he seems to work in optical illusions a little bit.
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MALE NARRATOR: By increasing the contrast, Silano created the illusion of a deep, black void, almost reminiscent of outer space. He warped our perception of height by shooting the subject from a low, wide angle.
MELANIE PULLEN: He knew exactly every element that he was going for, and he would build these wide-angle lenses, which are known for distortion. Just seeing the way he manipulated things and the way he built and broke the rules, I just love that. I have to say, he’s taken some of my favorite photos.
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