I met Julie for the first time in person at her show at Robert Mann gallery last night. She admitted that it is a bit of a struggle doing her work and balancing her family life--she has three kids! Kids or not, the work is impressive. Meticulous without being uptight, narrative without being melodramatic, her images are refreshing in the crowded field of conceptual and staged photographic imagery. One of my favorites in the show is the above High Dive, 2010. There are two Barbie dolls in mid flight from the balcony (you can click on image to enlarge).
Blackmon is great at utilizing sets with a frame within a frame-- often a window. I love the depth of some the these images, the tableau keeps on going in the second framed image. See the above image Snow Day. Obviously I am a big fan of her work, but I have to admit that I do find myself alternately impressed by and annoyed by all the chic set dressing and props- and sometimes I wonder if I'm seeing the work of a frustrated interior decorator. But in the end, she wins me over, with or without the zebra rug.
Courtesy Robert Mann Gallery, New York
I like the high dive one. the snow one is a bit precious
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