Book Review: "Curtains and Towels" by Katie Burnett
@ Katie Burnett. From Curtains and Towels, 2023. Courtesy of Dashwood Books
Written by Mandi Smith
Photo Edited by Mandi Smith & Athena Abdien
In the realm of elusive artwork, where kaleidoscopes, naked bodies, sock puppets, and synchronized swimmers converge, Katie Burnett’s unique work has found prominence. This New York-based fashion stylist and self-taught photographer is a master of surrealist and collage-like photographic works that blur the line between reality and imagination. Burnett’s artwork embodies a sense of perplexity that resonates with her viewers, and her latest limited edition bathroom set, “Curtains and Towels,” in collaboration with fashion retailer SSENSE, features images from her latest book, “I Wash, You Dry”, published in 2022 by Dashwood Books. The set includes shower curtains and towels adorned with Burnett’s own photographs that depict the artist modeling her own collection while luxuriating in the shower.
@ Katie Burnett. From Curtains and Towels, 2023. Courtesy of Dashwood Books
@ Katie Burnett. From Curtains and Towels, 2023. Courtesy of Dashwood Books
Burnett’s inspiration for “I Wash, You Dry”; was born post-pandemic when she embarked on a solo project in Jamaica while in art research and stumbled upon vintage films of synchronized swimmers. After the publication of her photo book in 2021, “Cabin Fever”, and following its success she continued exploring surrealistic compositions during lockdown by photographing herself. After this she created “I Wash, You Dry,”which followed the latest of the series, “Curtains and Towels.” With Burnett’s keen eye for composition and her unbridled imagination, she has transformed the mundane into something exuberant. Burnett’s passion for the project shines through in her latest pieces, such as ‘Wet Cat,’ ‘Beach Butt,’ ‘Bubbles Butts,’ ‘Beach Body,’ and ‘Tiny Boat,’ which evoke a sense of nostalgia, while imbuing them with a new level of whimsy. With her keen eye for composition and her unbridled imagination, Burnett transforms even the most ordinary of objects into a source of inspiration and charm.
@ Katie Burnett. From Curtains and Towels, 2023. Courtesy of Dashwood Books
Burnett’s distinctive style is evident in her photographic productions that feature disorienting impressions of her body, abstract traces of her immediate surroundings, and ordinary household objects reimagined in animated forms. Her images embody the possibilities of movement through the composition of her own body while simultaneously operating the camera within the frame. Burnett’s work takes cues from monochromatic films, design, and vintage photography from the 1940s to the 1960s, but she employs these themes with a je-ne-sais-quoi of modern artistic expression. The photographs exude a playful quality and a kitschy mystification, evoking the works of renowned artists like Philippe Halsman and Salvador Dali’s “Dali Atomicus” of 1948.
@ Katie Burnett. From Curtains and Towels, 2023. Courtesy of Dashwood Books
@ Katie Burnett. From Curtains and Towels, 2023. Courtesy of Dashwood Books
As the Fashion Director of Centrefold Magazine and a regular contributor to various publications such as American Vogue and Vogue Italia, Burnett’s influence is felt beyond the realm of her art. With her latest works, Burnett has once again captured the essence of wit and inspiration, and her art will undoubtedly continue to leave a lasting impression on all who encounter it. The second wind of her publication, within a new context, is sure to be seen in more bathrooms than Burnett’s homemade photo shoots, and will surely cause nostalgia and amusement for all. Katie Burnett’s publications, “I Wash, You Dry”and “Curtains and Towels,” can be found at Dashwood Books.
