i was excited to see that the monograph of Michal Chelbin's project Strangely Familiar came out this month from Aperture. the first photo of hers i saw was the one of a man holding a girl in a pink tutu (in this 2006 PDN article), and i feel like after you see that photo, you can recognize any other photo in the series as hers. projects about circus performers (in this case Eastern European troupes) are certainly not uncommon, but her take is very distinctive. she reminds me of a colorful Diane Arbus; i'm sure that comparison has been made many times before.
like Subjectify, Chelbin makes her home in Brooklyn. she'll be speaking at Aperture in Chelsea on Tuesday, April 29, 2008.
her photos of adolescent girls are often highlighted, but i especially like her images of boys and young men. the image above is part of Blind Spot's auction. it says that it is by "Michael Chelbin," but somehow i am guessing it is Michal... for $1,500, it could be yours. or, buy the book for $30.
what do folks think of the cover?
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