glow in the dark

Evan Baden, http://evanbaden.wordpress.com/about/

Evan Baden is a photographer whose completed bodies of work focus mainly on technology and its effect on current American culture.

The Illuminati is a series of photographs of people with technological devices, focusing on showing how they are at once connected (through the light from the devices bathing their face) and disconnected (they're alone, in the dark, frequently in a disused or otherwise empty space). They're printed so that the subjects are life-size, which, as Evan Baden said in his lecture in Wriston Auditorium today, leads to some interesting audience interaction with the pieces and drives home the point that people using such technological devices are frequently non-responsive to others attempting to get their attention.

Technically Intimate is another series of photographs, this one dealing with how technology affects relationships and sexual identities. In this body of work, Evan Baden recreates images or 'types' of images ("selfies," images girls or young women take of themselves in sexual positions or states of undress) from, essentially, porn sites. He aims to show how technology affects relationships and sexual identities by changing people's interactions with others, and in the images leaves several 'cues' to what is going on - such as a stuffed animal staring at a girl's nearly-exposed privates, or a poster of a man looking at a reclining, mostly-undressed girl - to indicate that the photo is viewed, and intended to be viewed by, an audience. He also attempts to show things that the photograph or video still he is referencing do not show - the surroundings, the camera 'taking' the shot, etc.

His current in progress work is Under the Influence, wherein he is looking at iconic pictures or photos of celebrities and remaking them with a focus on what the picture he is remaking is really showing and what else might be going on that the photo isn't showing.

His work can be found at his website, which, although a little difficult to navigate (click the top right-hand corner of the image if nothing loads; it's set up like a book) is fairly comprehensive. He also has a blog.