In her project A Woman I Once Knew, photographer Rosalind Fox Solomon engages in a reflective exploration of self-portraiture, documenting the evolution of her body and inner life over five decades. Initiated in the early 1970s during her formative years in Chattanooga, Tennessee, and extending through her relocation to New York City in 1984, Solomon meticulously intertwines visual imagery with extended personal narratives, resulting in a deeply autobiographical inquiry.
Solomon's work coincides with contemporary discourses surrounding body image and ageism, particularly highlighting the marginalization of older women in Western visual culture. Influenced profoundly by her mentor Lisette Model, Solomon's photographs embrace boldness and direct observation, contributing significantly to ongoing dialogues about female agency and self-acceptance.
Artistically, A Woman I Once Knew emphasizes themes of personal identity, estrangement, and the relentless passage of time. Solomon utilizes the self-portrait format to reveal not only physical transformations but also her emotional and psychological landscapes. Her writings within the project candidly reflect personal challenges, including mental health struggles and moments of profound self-awareness. Thus, Solomon positions the act of self-portraiture as both a revelation and reconciliation of the multifaceted self.
The visual style of the project predominantly utilizes black-and-white photography, with Solomon’s consistent use of a two-and-a-quarter-inch square film format producing a sense of closeness and direct engagement that draws viewers into her introspective examination. Interspersed color images and experimental elements, such as video still frames, create dynamic tensions within the sequence, amplifying the project's reflective mood.
Published by MACK in 2024, A Woman I Once Knew has been recognized for its candid treatment of aging and identity, and shortlisted for the 2024 Paris Photo–Aperture PhotoBook Awards. Earlier iterations of the self-portrait material appeared in Solomon’s 2008 solo exhibition Inside Out at Bruce Silverstein Gallery, situating the project within her long-standing autobiographical practice.
