Two ladies are standing in an opening on two sides of a wall. One lady smiles and looks to the left, the other lady looks down and does not smile. In the background white walls with works of art and other visitors.

Daniëlle van Ark, 2005/2007

Untitled (Smile, No Smile)

Created by Daniëlle van Ark in 2005-2007. The artwork is a c-print on aluminum and displayed at 60 x 75 cm.

Look at the different emotions expressed by the subjects in this photo! The two portrayed women do not see each other, divided by a gallery wall, yet the viewer gets a simultaneous glimpse of their facial expressions. Their emotional juxtaposition is reminiscent of the comedy and tragedy masks that symbolise the theatre. Over the course of a year, Daniëlle van Ark visited gallery openings in the New York art district, Chelsea. The resulting series, For Art's Sake, offers a peek into the exclusive circles of the art scene. Van Ark’s images reveal the human tendency to perform different roles in social settings, conforming to the strict norms of high-brow art spaces. With a sociological approach, van Ark observes the scene and captures its peculiarities within a split-second. For Art’s Sake reflects Van Ark's fascination with concepts of status and with places that are normally off-limits to the general public.

© Daniëlle van Ark, courtesy of the Foam Collection

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