Archives of American Art

Oral history interview with Catherine Opie

Summary

(Electronic Resource)

Oral history interview with Catherine Opie, 2012 August 13-27, Transcript
Collection ID:
AAA.opie12
Creators:
Opie, Catherine, 1961-
Drohojowska-Philp, Hunter
Dates:
2012 August 13-27
Languages:
English
.
Physical Description:
7 Items
Sound recording: 7 sound files (5 hr., 17 min.)
digital, wav
112 Pages
Transcript
Repository:
Scope and Contents
Scope and Contents
An interview of Catherine Opie conducted 2012 August 13-27, by Hunter Drohojowska-Philp, for the Archives of American Art, at Opie's home and studio in Los Angeles, California.
Scope and Contents
Opie discusses her childhood in Sandusky, Ohio, moving to California, and introduction to photography; her life in San Francisco and its role in her formulation of sexuality and identity; the importance of identity within her work, especially that of the queer community; the role of architecture and her landscape paintings as metaphor for the queer community and the search for identity; the role of reconceptualization in her work, leading to the ever-changing nature of her works, including comparisons between her portraiture and her landscape photography; her influences and her moniker of the "American photographer" Opie also recalls her partner, painter Julie Burleigh; gallery owners Stuart and Shaun Regen; members of her community and subjects of her portraiture, and others.
Biographical / Historical
Biographical / Historical
Catherine Opie (1961- ) is an artist and professor in Los Angeles, California. Hunter Drohojowska-Philp is a writer and art historian in Los Angeles, California.
Administration
Existence and Location of Copies
Transcript available online.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
This interview is part of the Archives of American Art Oral History Program, started in 1958 to document the history of the visual arts in the United States, primarily through interviews with artists, historians, dealers, critics and administrators.
Digital Content

(Electronic Resource)

Oral history interview with Catherine Opie, 2012 August 13-27, Transcript

(Sound Recording)

Oral history interview with Catherine Opie, 2012 August 13-27, Digital Sound Recording (Excerpt)
Using the Collection
Conditions Governing Access
For information on how to access this interview contact Reference Services.
Conditions Governing Access
Transcript available on the Archives of American Art website.
More Information
General
General
Originally recorded as 7 digital sound files. Duration is 5 hr., 17 min.
Keywords
Keywords table of terms and types.
Keyword Terms Keyword Types
Photographers -- California -- Los Angeles Occupation Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Women artists Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
California -- San Francisco -- Description and Travel Geographic Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Interviews Genre Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Sound recordings Genre Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Artists (LGBTQ) Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Lesbian artists Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Burleigh, Julie Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Regen, Shaun Caley Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Regen, Stuart, 1959-1998 Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Repository Contact
Archives of American Art
750 9th Street, NW
Victor Building, Suite 2200
Washington, D.C. 20001
https://www.aaa.si.edu/services/questions