Deana Lawson's Gagosian Show Bans Photography, Raising Questions About Access and Control
Deana Lawson's latest exhibition at Gagosian has a strict no-photography rule. To enforce this, staff hand out Gagosian stickers to cover phone cameras, which has left many visitors feeling uneasy and surprised. This policy encourages a deeper look at how photography connects to memory and personal experiences. Lawson's series, Edge Control, launched in 2023, focuses on the theme of everyday surveillance using images from beauty supply stores—often used to deter theft and creating an uncomfortable dynamic. In a recent chat, she shared, "I feel more connected to the people in the images, as if I’m capturing a moment of them in the act of stealing." The ban on photography raises important ethical questions about access and control in her art.
Key facts
- Deana Lawson's latest exhibition is at Gagosian.
- Photography is prohibited at the show; attendants hand out Gagosian-branded stickers to cover phone cameras.
- Lawson's ongoing series Edge Control began in 2023.
- Edge Control focuses on beauty-supply surveillance photos, typically pinned behind counters to deter theft.
- Lawson said in a recent interview: "If anything, I feel more identity with the people on the wall — like I'm stealing a picture of them stealing."
- The no-photography rule prompted the author to question memory and the ability to recall details without a phone.
- The exhibition raises ethical questions about who has the power to authorize or deny access.
- The author suggests the sense of unmooring from not photographing may be Lawson's point.
Entities
Artists
Institutions
- Gagosian
- Hyperallergic
- The New York Times
- T Magazine