Arda's Vanity

This intensely saturated photograph depicts a double-sided mirror that sits on the corner of a glass-covered bedroom vanity. The small mirror dominates the image, a prominent circular form framed by the sheer white curtains, floral wallpaper, and old furnace that recedes into the corner of the room. Behind the freestanding vanity mirror, another large, beveled mirror leans against the wall in the upper left of the photograph. With the two mirrors and glass table, Northrup plays with all three reflections to produce a complex, three-dimensional space within the photographic still life.

The rainbow of colors in this photograph creates a kaleidoscopic effect that seems to span the entire spectrum. Arda’s Vanityis one of what Northrup calls his "Strobacolor" works, a technique developed by the artists himself. [1] “To perform Strobacolor," he explains, "you first expose onto one negative, often through a masking device, one piece at a time, coloring real objects in front of the camera with a hand-held flash. Not shown is a tent that goes from the back of the glass to the front of the lens to eliminate reflections.”[2] Northrup pioneered this technique in the 1980s, and its extraordinary effects foreshadow the manipulations made possible by the introduction of Adobe Photoshop in the mid-1990s.

With its lack of personal items and luridly colorful illumination, the space almost looks like a cheap, impersonal motel room. However, an interview with the artist has established that the photograph was taken in his parent’s bedroom in Marietta, Ohio. His mother, Arda, treasured an ornate vanity mirror in her possession. “It was an icon,” Northrup recalled.[3] Another aspect of the image with personal relevance is the human face that appears warped in the circular void of the vanity mirror. Northrup has confirmed that this is a self-portrait.[4] Published information on Northrup’s art is scant, and the details of this interview provide important new details concerning the personal subject matter of this work.

Northrup’s use of the word "vanity" in the title of this photograph points to the word’s varied meanings. Most directly, the word refers to the piece of furniture that dominates this photograph. The term can also suggest a superficial preoccupation with appearance. More broadly, Northrup’s use of the mirror engages the object's long history as an art historical motif associated with the myth of Narcissus and the perils of becoming fixated on one’s own reflection.

Northrup lives and works in Baltimore, Maryland where he continues to work as a photographer. Other than his famous Strobacolor prints, he is also well-known for his three artist books: Beautiful Ecstasy (2003), Babe (2012), and Dream Away (1988). The UAG also acquired a second Strobacolor print, Miriam’s Mirror, which also embodies ideas of mirrors and evokes the power of reflection. Northrup’s work is often focused on capturing a colorful, humorous view of daily life in America.[5] He always remains spontaneous with his subjects and tends to capture social scenes of family life and other human relations.[6]

Since 1990, Northrup has also been an active commercial photographer, and his work has been featured in collections for Nikon, Scientific American, and Polaroid. He has also been exhibited in solo and group shows around the U.S. Additionally, he is very active on Instagram, posting works from the 1970s and 1980s to show his pre-Photoshop techniques in a context where photography has come to be dominated by the manipulations of digital technology.[7]

[1] Northrup, Michael. michaelnorthrup.com, 2018.
[2] Northrup, Michael. michaelnorthrup.com, 2018.
[3] Dunn, Kendall. “Re: Ardis Vanity History”. Message to [Michael Northrup]. April 4, 2018. Questions over email.
[4] Dunn, Kendall. “Re: Ardis Vanity History”. Message to [Michael Northrup]. April 4, 2018. Questions over email.
[5] Northrup, Michael. michaelnorthrup.com, 2018.
[6] Blake Andrews, “Q & A with Michael Northup”, December 26, 2007, http://blakeandrews.blogspot.com/2007/12/q-with-michael-northrup.html
[7] Northrup, Michael. michaelnorthrup.com, 2018.

Author: Kendall Dunn - Spring 2018