At the book release and opening of Shoot The Arrow: A Portrait of the World Famous *BOB* Thursday October 17, I was squeezed amongst sea of people all buzzing and gathered to see Amy Touchette's black & white portraits of the world famous *BOB*.
Bob, was an important figure in NYC's “new-burlesque” movement, has described herself as a “female-female impersonator.”
The photographs were all taken with 35mm film and chronicle the daily life of Bob and her aspirations to fame and glamour. Touchette's 24 hour access to the New York City burlesque dancer reveal a range of diverse personal moments; some images have an innate feeling of intimacy: Bob pictured in private, backstage, or in public, and some are of daily activities, while others show her performing on stage.
Touchette's work is about transcending boundaries of what is, what isn't, and how we perceive gender and conventional standards of thinking about gender in society and in performance. The images are extremely personal and have a documentary quality that carry with them a classic black & white feel; an interesting clash as it deals with a very specific and contemporary subject matter.
Exhibition runs from October 17 – November 16, 2013
Review and photos by Carlos Fonts