Emerging Artists 2008

Emerging Artists 2008

SARAH SMALL

sarahsmall.com

A 2001 graduate of the Rhode Island School of Design and a 2004 Art + Commerce PEEK Artist, Sarah Small has made a name for herself photographing uncomfortable and strange juxtapositions: a naked couple and a stuffed, mounted cat; a cute baby and a grotesquely bruised leg. In her more recent work, Small, 29, employs models, props, and digital manipulation to create narratives of peaceful American suburbs with disturbing twists. Her commercial style utilizes the language of fashion, beauty, and advertising, while commenting on obsessions with youth, sexuality, and the happy American experience. Thus, although Small's images often re-create scenes from an idyllic American storybook, her true talent is for exploring the grotesque lurking just below that idealized facade. -- C.T.