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Almine Rech

Taryn Simon Contraband

Oct 29 — Dec 18, 2010 | Brussels

Inquire about the exhibition: inquiries@alminerech.com

Taryn Simon’s photographs chronicle contradictory aspects of the American identity while exposing the veiled mechanisms of society. This latest work, CONTRABAND, expands on her earlier series, An American Index of the Hidden and Unfamiliar (2007), that explored the covert intersection between private and public.

For five days in November 2009, Simon remained on site at John F. Kennedy International Airport, which processes more international passengers than any other airport in the United States. The exhaustive pace at which she photographed paralleled the twenty-four hour rhythm by which goods move across borders and time zones. CONTRABAND includes 1075 photographs of items detained or seized from passengers and express mail entering the U.S. from abroad…

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Selected artworks

  • Alcohol (Illegal/Undeclared), 2010

    Alcohol (Illegal/Undeclared), 2010

    7 archival inkjet prints in 1 Plexiglass box

    9 1/4 x 51 3/4 x 2 1/2 inches (23.5 x 131.4 x 6.4cm)
  • Anabolic steroids (Illegal), 2010

    Anabolic steroids (Illegal), 2010

    23 archival inkjet prints in 4 Plexiglass box

    Boxes 1, 2, 3: 9 1/4 x 44 1/2 x 2 1/2 inches (23.5 x 113 x 6.4cm) Box 4: 9 1/4 x 37 1/4 x 2 1/2 inches (23.5 x 94.6 x 6.4cm)
  • Bongs (Illegal), 2010

    Bongs (Illegal), 2010

    5 archival inkjet prints in 1 Plexiglass box

    9 1/4 x 37 1/4 x 2 1/2 inches (23.5 x 94.6 x 6.4cm)
  • Fruit, Misc. (Prohibited), 2010

    Fruit, Misc. (Prohibited), 2010

    29 archival inkjet prints in 5 Plexiglass boxes

    Box 1-4: 9 1/4 x 44 1/2 x 2 1/2 inches (23.5 x 113 x 6.4cm) Box 5: 9 1/4 x 37 1/4 x 2 1/2 inches (23.5 x 94.6 x 6.4cm)
  • Gold Dust (Undeclared), 2010

    Gold Dust (Undeclared), 2010

    1 archival inkjet print in 1 Plexiglass box

    9 1/4 x 8 1/4 x 2 1/2 inches (23.5 x 21 x 6.4cm)
  • Immigration Applications (Accidentally Seized), 2010

    Immigration Applications (Accidentally Seized), 2010

    2 archival inkjet prints in 1 Plexiglass boxes

    9 1/4 x 15 1/2 x 2 1/2 inches(23.5 x 39.4 x 6.3cm)
  • Khat (Illegal), 2010

    Khat (Illegal), 2010

    40 archival inkjet prints in 7 Plexiglass boxes

    Box 1-6: 9 1/4 x 44 1/2 x 2 1/2 inches (23,5 x 113 x 6,4 cm) Box 7: 9 1/4 x 30 x 2 1/2 inches (23,5 x 76,2 x 6,4 cm)
  • Nesting Dolls (Counterfeit), 2010

    Nesting Dolls (Counterfeit), 2010

    5 archival inkjet prints in 1 Plexiglass box

    9 1/4 x 37 1/4 x 2 1/2 inches (23.5 x 94.6 x 6.4cm)
  • Pharmaceuticals, Misc. (Counterfeit/ Illegal / Prohibited), 2010

    Pharmaceuticals, Misc. (Counterfeit/ Illegal / Prohibited), 2010

    37 archival inkjet prints in 7 Plexiglass boxes

    Box 1-5: 9 1/4 x 44 1/2 x 2 1/2 inches (23,5 x 113 x 6,4 cm) Box 6: 9 1/4 x 30 x 2 1/2 inches ( 23,5 x 76,2 x 6,4 cm) Box 7: 9 1/4 x 22 3/4 x 2 1/2 inches (23,5 x 57,79 x 6,4 cm)
  • Shirts, Lacoste (Counterfeit), Shirts, Ralph Lauren (Counterfeit), Shirts, Misc. (Counterfeit), 2010

    Shirts, Lacoste (Counterfeit), Shirts, Ralph Lauren (Counterfeit), Shirts, Misc. (Counterfeit), 2010

    12 archival inkjet prints in 3 Plexiglass boxes

    Box 1: 9 1/4 x 22 3/4 x 2 1/2 inches (23,5 x 57,79 x 6,4 cm) Box 2: 9 1/4 x 37 1/4 x 2 1/2 inches (23,5 x 94,61 x 6,4 cm)
More on Taryn Simon