Howard Singerman Examines Sharon Lockhart's Pine Flat
In his comprehensive analysis of Sharon Lockhart's multifaceted project Pine Flat (2005), Howard Singerman contends that the work effectively utilizes pastoral concepts to emphasize both the independence and social connections of children. Created between 2001 and 2005, this project features two photographic series and a 138-minute 16mm film composed of twelve ten-minute vignettes, each capturing children in the landscape with a single, stationary shot. The camera's fixed position highlights the stillness of the children, drawing parallels to the traditions of painting and photography. Singerman investigates the artist's vision of a fleeting environment where childhood can be experienced in a different context of power and potential. This book is part of Afterall's One Work series, which examines influential artworks in art history.
Key facts
- Sharon Lockhart's Pine Flat was realized between 2001 and 2005.
- The work has three discrete parts: two series of photographs and a 138-minute 16mm film.
- The film consists of twelve ten-minute vignettes, each a single take of children in the landscape.
- The camera is motionless, set at a distance from the children who scarcely move.
- Pine Flat is named for a small place in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada Mountains inside the Giant Sequoia National Monument.
- Howard Singerman argues that Pine Flat employs notions of the pastoral to critically insist upon both the autonomy and community of children.
- The book is part of the One Work book series published by Afterall.
- The publication can be purchased via MIT Press.
Entities
Artists
- Sharon Lockhart
Institutions
- Afterall
- MIT Press
- Giant Sequoia National Monument
Locations
- Sierra Nevada Mountains
- Giant Sequoia National Monument
Sources
- Afterall —