"Reflections" by Rivka Katvan

The sun is setting on the bright billboards in Times Square. Femmes fatales with porcelain-like pale skin stand out in front of bare buildings devoid of any signs. Having escaped the confinement of shop windows, are these majestic ladies or mannequins appearing in a mirage? Rivka Katvan caught them on camera and they are now on show at Gallery 138 NYC. In her series of photographs entitled "Reflections", the magic of architecture merges with the photographic reflections of New York fashion stores. Rivka Katvan's pictures reveal two phantasmagorical and elegant worlds in a sort of hallucination: on the one hand, there are stylish characters in mysterious poses and on the other silent and enchanted architectural backdrops. For those who thought that certain photos could only be created through digital photo retouching, Rivka Katvan's shots will be a real eye-opener. The analogue charm of a fleeting moment and different views arranged in layers are indeed caught on film, while the photographer's sole traditional intervention concerns burning and screening techniques and conversion to black and white.
Rivka S. Katvan's images appear courtesy of the artist and Gallery 138
www.gallery138.com
www.katvan.com

13 September 2010