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Archives of American Art
Oral history interview with Catherine Opie
Summary
- Collection ID:
- AAA.opie12
- Creators:
-
Opie, Catherine, 1961-Drohojowska-Philp, Hunter
- Dates:
-
2012 August 13-27
- Languages:
-
English.
- Physical Description:
-
7 ItemsSound recording: 7 sound files (5 hr., 17 min.)digital, wav112 PagesTranscript
- 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
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
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 |
Archives of American Art
750 9th Street, NW
Victor Building, Suite 2200
Washington, D.C. 20001
https://www.aaa.si.edu/services/questions