Laura L. Letinsky Transforms Ordinary Objects Into Poetic Expressions Of Beauty And Meaning
Photo: Laura L. Letinsky brings mundane objects to life, capturing their profundity and poetic beauty in ways that challenge and inspire.
Redefining Photography Through the Poetic Power of Mundane Objects
Laura L. Letinsky transforms mundane objects into profound still lifes, blending philosophy and aesthetics to challenge societal perceptions of beauty, memory, and consumerism through deeply poetic and visually arresting photography.
Laura L. Letinsky, a renowned force in contemporary art, transforms the ordinary into extraordinary meditations on beauty, memory, and consumerism. Through her work, she challenges both the nature of photography and our perceptions of material culture. From intimate portraits to groundbreaking still lifes, her oeuvre is a philosophical and visual exploration of what is often overlooked, forgotten, or disregarded.
“The photograph is not real; it is a point of view, monocular, excerpted from a continuum, and framed,” Letinsky says about one of the central tenets of her work. Initially focusing on people in her earlier series Venus Inferred, she explored heterosexual relationships through the lens of desire and imagery steeped in cultural connotations. Influenced by the evolution of visual representation—from religious depictions to modern advertisements—Letinsky found herself drawn to the genre of still life. In her words, “The shift happened as I became enamored with 17th-century Northern European painting,” particularly the Dutch and Flemish still lifes that reflected colonial wealth and societal values.
These historical inspirations led her to question what remains of this visual legacy today. Her renowned series Hardly More Than Ever and Ill Form & Void Full examine the residues of modern life—the imperfections, debris, and fragments often ignored. Hardly More Than Ever reclaims mundane objects like forgotten leftovers or an unwashed dish, reframing them with poetic elegance. “I wanted to make what is considered undesirable, desirable,” she explains. Drawing from Susan Sontag’s argument that “photography makes whatever it shows beautiful,” Letinsky challenges viewers to see value and beauty in what they might otherwise discard.
Laura L. Letinsky is a visionary artist redefining photography, illuminating the beauty in flaws, remnants, and life’s overlooked details.
Letinsky’s Ill Form & Void Full represents a pivotal departure in her exploration of photography’s materiality and perception. Created using magazine clippings and flatbed scanners, the series reconstructs advertising imagery into layered compositions that dissect consumerism and desire. “It was 2009, and the proliferation of images left me nauseated,” she notes. Turning to existing media, and inspired by Robert Heinecken’s assertion that “the world doesn’t need any more pictures because everything has already been photographed,” Letinsky began playing with advertising visuals to interrogate how they fuel social cravings for intangible promises.
“The photograph is not real; it is a point of view, monocular, excerpted from a continuum, and framed.” –Laura L. Letinsky
Her work interweaves critique with an undeniable sense of beauty, often revealing universal themes. “The mess, the stain, or the leftover embodies contradiction,” she says, “something we wish to hold onto, yet want to get rid of. It speaks to memory, desire, and the human condition.” Influenced by theorists like Roland Barthes and Walter Benjamin, Letinsky layers philosophical depth into the fabric of her compositions, infusing them with a tension between allure and unease.
Her selection of objects plays a crucial role in conveying this narrative. Most are personal items—gifts, sentimental pieces, or everyday artifacts she has collected. Dishes Letinsky crafted herself, utensils inherited from her family, or even a discarded lollipop her child refused to eat serve as portals into the textured reality of home and identity. For Letinsky, these objects tell stories of aspiration, imperfection, and belonging.
“Efforts, aspirations, and accidents—this is home in the best sense,” she says. Her photography captures this terrain, showcasing a world deeply personal yet universally resonant.
Alongside her artistic practice, Letinsky continues to inspire through teaching at the University of Chicago. Engaging with students energizes her perspective and fuels her constant evolution as an artist. “I enjoy being challenged to articulate my ideas and shift my point of view,” she says, citing her deep awareness of life’s impermanence as a source of creativity.
Letinsky’s work resonates across diverse audiences, from exhibitions in the United States to global showcases in Europe and beyond. Whether addressing themes of cultural globalization or local taste, her focus remains on the commonality of experiences. As she reflects, “Food and objects are universal but culturally distinct. The table as a surface, whether adorned with silver knives or chopsticks, tells human stories.”
Laura L. Letinsky’s photography reframes the familiar and excavates beauty from the overlooked. Her works, rich in complexity and poetic resonance, invite us to reconsider not just the art of photography but also the fleeting and profound beauty of the everyday.
Source: WOWwART Magazine
