Exhibition Review: Jeff Mermelstein
Jeff Mermelstein NYC, 2016 © Jeff Mermelstein, courtesy Galerie Bene Taschen
By DieuLinh
In this digital age, the definition of a ‘street photographer’ can arguably be expanded to include anyone and everyone. With access to our phone cameras, we have harnessed the power and ability to freeze fleeting moments in our day to day lives with the press of a button. This, alongside our ever expanding social media presence, has led to the creation of a culture where the definition of ‘photographer’ gets blurrier with each image posted online. In fact, one could go so far as to say that in a world where we grow closer to codependency with our devices, we are starting to see the world through -- and in -- pixels.
Jeff Mermelstein NYC, 2017 © Jeff Mermelstein, courtesy Galerie Bene Taschen
Through his new collection, ‘Hardened’, Jeff Mermelstein echoes this sentiment. Featuring blurred and pixelated close up photos of animals, people, and everyday objects, he intelligently plays on the planes of images; only upon close observation and questioning are we able to separate the planes of these images and identify the things we are all so familiar with. From the inside of a paper cup filled with a soft drink appearing like a bright tunnel luring us in, to the individual follicles of a passerby’s hair that only slowly becomes apparent, Mermelstein offers us a new insight to the world that pushes the boundary of both, the familiar and the ordinary -- at once.
Jeff Mermelstein NYC, 2016© Jeff Mermelstein, courtesy Galerie Bene Taschen
Aside from the ludicrous, Mermelstein showcases his understanding of photography’s contemporary traits by featuring the idiosyncrasies and humour within our lives: from the bright fuschia shimmer of nail varnish from a dog’s feet and the individual pore of a human nose as the unsuspecting subject takes a bite of a marigold peach, Mermelstein masterfully blurs the lines between the normal and the fantastical.
As he continues to embark on his decades-long mission of chronicling the absurdities within the rudimentary, dating back to the early ‘80s, Mermelstein made the bold move of leaving behind his beloved Leica film camera and opting for the camera on his iPhone in order to dissect the intersection of defining photography as part of the ever growing, everchanging internet culture. In addition to immersing himself with the subject of his fascination, Mermelstein comments on our lives within the social media bubble by actively posting these raw, real, and unfiltered iPhone photos to Instagram -- where many view his work on similar devices; hence commenting on the current definitions and culture of street photography.
Jeff Mermelstein NYC, 2016 © Jeff Mermelstein, courtesy Galerie Bene Taschen
As much as he indulges in the complexities of the digital age, however, his relentless curiosity and adaptability channels his vision as a creative and sets him apart from the many photographers with a digital presence. Pushing the boundaries of Instagram-culture street photography and internet trends through innovative compositions, he forces viewers to see from an unconventional perspective that they miss in their versions of reality. Drawn to street photography by its everyday charm, indiscretions, anxieties, and eccentricity his work captures just that: the poignance of the unpretentious daily life, from a lens that forces us to embrace the absurd.
Jeff Mermelstein is a photojournalist from New Jersey, and is currently based in Brooklyn, New York. He studied at Rutgers College and the International Center of Photography, where he has been teaching since 1988. His works mainly revolve around street life in New York City, and he has since been featured in publications such as The New Yorker, LIFE, and The New York Times Magazine, among others. His works are also held in institutions including the Art Institute of Chicago, the New York Public Library, and the International museum of Photography at George Eastman House. Mermelstein’s project ‘Hardened’ is currently on exhibition at Galerie Bene Taschen until December 4, 2021
