
Figure (_2100592)
2017
Figure (_2100592) presents a quietly intimate encounter with the photographic act itself, as Paul Mpagi Sepuya folds studio space, human presence, and the mechanics of image-making into a single compressed frame. Working at the intersection of portraiture and conceptual photography, Sepuya consistently foregrounds the conditions under which images of Black queer bodies are produced and circulated, and this 2017 archival pigment print is a precise embodiment of that inquiry. The composition invites sustained looking, rewarding the viewer not with straightforward legibility but with a layered negotiation between subject and apparatus, closeness and construction. Sepuya's studio functions less as a neutral backdrop than as an active participant, with mirrors, drapes, and the camera's own reflection frequently entering the picture plane to complicate notions of documentary truth. In Figure (_2100592), that signature methodology is fully at work, collapsing the distance between photographer and subject while insisting on the constructed nature of intimacy itself. The alphanumeric title, drawn from the image's file name, further underscores Sepuya's interest in the bureaucratic and archival dimensions of photography, placing tender human content within systems of classification and retrieval. Printed as an archival pigment print, the work demonstrates exceptional tonal richness and long-term stability, hallmarks of Sepuya's meticulous production standards. Measuring 81.3 by 61 centimeters, it carries a commanding yet domestic scale suited to considered private display. The edition is signed, and the mahogany frame contributes a warm material presence that anchors the print's atmospheric interior light. For collectors drawn to contemporary photography that engages seriously with identity, desire, and the ethics of representation, this work offers both critical substance and lasting visual impact.
- Medium
- Archival pigment print in mahogany frame
- Overall
- Signed
- Yes
- Spotted At
- Gallery · Printed Matter Benefit Auction
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