Katy Grannan

Katy Grannan's (American, b.1969) striking portraits capture the alluring presence of her subjects. Placing advertisements across the country for models, Grannan allows her subjects to pose in their chosen setting, presenting themselves before the lens. The resulting images reflect the intensity of the relationship between artist and model as each image resonates with the tension of a first encounter. Critic Jerry Saltz has deemed Grannan the "legitimate heir to Diane Arbus," documenting those who offer themselves to her camera. Grannan's work has been included in the Whitney Biennial, Guggenheim Museum, Bilbao, and the UC Berkeley Museum of Art, and is collected by MoMA, SFMoMA and the International Center for Photography, among many others.

"Joline, Broad Top, Pa." is a beautifully staged portrait of a young woman, Joline. The sheer visual cacophony of Joline's fishnet stockings, patterned baroque drapes, printed sofa and textured shag carpet, electrify this amazing photograph. The references to a classical reclining Venus enhance the supple forms of the sitter. Grannan's talent is in full force here, riveting her viewers.

ArtCycle believes that Grannan's "Morning Call" series is soon to be a contemporary classic, as Grannan's strongest work is represented here. It is priced below retail market value, which we estimate to be at $10,000.