by surprise. At first glance we see a magazine-like glossy finish--
until we look closer and see the flaws, the decay, the imperfections
Gleeson uses rich, saturated colors
that immediately draw the viewer into
the picture. Her compositions are
elegant, even glamorous. Using the
language and tropes of contemporary
marketing, Gleeson presents her own
subversive perspective on the idea of
"perfection" and its ability to seduce
the viewer. Gleeson uses food in her photographs to play with the
idea of advertising aesthetic vs. reality. Unlike photographs of food
in actual advertising, Gleeson's berries are shriveled, her frosting is
dripping and the whole composition is a little too close to real-life
for the viewer to feel enticed by the food. The photographs ask the
viewer to consider not only what we desire, but also how we desire.
of Fine Arts in Bologna, Italy and is currently working on her MFA
in Photography at the School of Visual Arts in New York. She
works as a freelance photographer in New York City. -Alison Rogers