Exhibition Review: Carnival Strippers - Susan Meiselas
Susan Meiselas. Stage Show at Casa del Rio, Tunbridge, Vermont, September 1975. © Susan Meiselas/Magnum Photos. Courtesy the artist and Higher Pictures Generation.
Written by Federica Barrios Carbonell
Edited by Jana Massoud
Renowned photographer Susan Meiselas’s iconic first complete photographic series, Carnival Strippers, returns to the public with Higher Pictures Generation in a beautifully curated in-person show. The playful images of women who performed striptease shows for small-town carnivals in New England, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, and the Midwest result from the artist’s fascination with the women’s stories.
Through interviews and photography, Meiselas offers her audience a well-informed interpretation of her subjects' lifestyles and conditions during the summers of 1972 to 1975, when Meiselas followed the dancers and documented their public shows as well as their private lives. Her candid portrayal of the women warms the viewer’s heart as they realize the artist’s timeless message of ambivalent identity. The women’s emotions shine through their depictions, and the energy of the scenes radiates from wall to wall. The ambivalence of the series lies in the women’s feelings about their work and the relationship between dancing in shows, sex work, their aspirations, and their motivations. The dancer’s words provide background and vulnerability to the images, completing them and offering insight that would have otherwise been absent.
Color prints of these images had never before been exhibited. This exciting comeback introduces a sense of intimacy and enthusiasm of the scenes and reflects the uplifting energy of the shows. The intensity of the photographs endures the test of time, lasting through the centuries - society’s relationship to women like those depicted in the exhibition has evolved, but the aforementioned ambiguity remains relevant. The relationship between women and their bodies is more welcome in modern-day society than it has ever been before, but there remains much that needs changing. In the case of these women specifically, their societal image is hindered due to the biases towards sex work and women who appear to be comfortable with their sexuality. These photographs remind us that changes need to be made, and that the journey towards the eradication of these gendered preconceptions is ongoing - a powerful show that incites us to view the world through a different perspective. Mature topics are seen through a youthful lens that creates the almost childlike effect of being at a carnival, unwary and jaunty. While the women can be seen as empowering, the series also leaves the mind wandering about what is not captured; it leaves a wary concern over the women who exhibit themselves in favor of the ever-present male gaze.
Susan Meiselas. Gay New Orleans Bally Call, Brockton, Massachusetts, June 1972. © Susan Meiselas/Magnum Photos. Courtesy the artist and Higher Pictures Generation.
From spontaneous close-ups as Star Tease, Tunbridge, Vermont, to the modest presentation of the vaudeville sets like Stage Show at Casa del Rio, Tunbridge, Vermont, these spirited reproductions are sure to capture your eye and leave you marveling about the women from the carnivals. The exhibit will be on display at 16 Main St Ground Floor in Brooklyn, New York from February 19th to April 16th, 2022.
Photo Editor: Chris Zarcadoolas
