The Glint In Her Eye

Cologne’s Julian Sander Gallery presents a selection of images from the private archives of American photographer Rosalind Fox Solomon (b. 1930) – with a focus on the artist’s unique gift for curious, off-beat compositions that draw the viewer into a longer, more in-depth second look.

A key characteristic of Solomon’s work is her extraordinary ability to capture the complexity of human nature. Her images are often imbued with intense emotion, revealing the multi-layered dimensions of the human psyche. While she does not shy away from uncomfortable or controversial themes, the artist also shows us the beauty amidst life’s challenges, and invites us to engage with the complex facets of the world we inhabit.

Solomon’s photographs are akin to character-based short stories. Her protagonists, whose piercing gaze is usually directed straight at the camera, allow for a multitude of possible interpretation. Some of her motifs are perplexing at first glance – confounding the audience or, just as often, prompting a smile. With her keen eye for life’s idiosyncratic moments, the photographer captures people from an intrinsically loving perspective, which, in turn, evokes an innate empathy in the viewer.