Dispossession1995

Starkness, unswerving focus, and cryptic intensity form the essence of Lynn Stern's work. While initially shocking, her skull and deathmask images are mysteriously inviting due to their vibrant luminosity and Stern's powerful identification with her subject. The work is a hauntingly beautiful meditation on mortality. Accompanying the photographs is an essay by noted art critic Donald Kuspit, who addresses the theme of human vulnerability, which is central to Stern's riveting imagery. Dispossession is enriched by earlier series, including "Whiteness," a suite of bold, photographically unconventional images that eliminate the medium's touchstones - detail, focus, tonal range and composition - to create the feeling of pure light.