Photo a friend. | Tanja Hollander | The Art Assignment

TL;DR

Photographer Tanja Hollander documents her Facebook friends in their homes, exploring the meaning of friendship in the age of social networking.

Transcript

Today we're meeting with artist Tanja Hollander, an artist who began her career as a landscape photographer but who since 2011 has been on a mission to photograph all 626 of her Facebook friends in their homes and take their formal portrait. She's titled the project, "Are You Really My Friend?" and has been traveling all over the world, visiting fr... Read More

Key Insights

• 🤕 Hollander's project explores the changing dynamics of friendship in the digital age, highlighting the contrast between online and offline interactions.
• 💭 The project involves a collaborative element, inviting visitors to contribute their thoughts on what defines a real friend.
• 👻 Photographing people in their homes allows for a deeper understanding of their personalities and environments.
• 🧑 Hollander's approach to formal portrait photography focuses on capturing the essence of the person through careful composition and attention to detail.
• 🤨 The project raises questions about the authenticity of friendship in the age of social networking.
• 🙈 Hollander's project can be seen in the context of other photographers' series documenting people and their environments, such as August Sander's "People of the 20th century."
• 🎙️ Portraits have been a popular subject in photography since its inception, evolving from static studio shots to more dynamic and personal approaches.

Questions & Answers

Q: What inspired Tanja Hollander to start her "Are You Really My Friend?" project?

Hollander was inspired by the different ways she communicated with friends, both online and through traditional means, and wanted to explore the changing nature of friendships in the 21st century.

Q: How did Hollander involve the public in her project?

Hollander designated a wall at the museum exhibition for visitors to write what they thought a real friend is on Post-it notes, creating a collaborative and interactive element to the project.

Q: What does Hollander consider a real friend?

According to Hollander, a real friend is someone you share a meal with, invite into your house, and have meaningful conversations and debates with.

Q: How does Hollander approach formal portrait photography?

Hollander pays attention to the space around the person, carefully framing the shot and capturing not only the person but also the objects and environment that define them.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• Tanja Hollander is an artist who has embarked on a mission to photograph all 626 of her Facebook friends in their homes.

• Her project, titled "Are You Really My Friend?" explores the ideas of friendship and how they are impacted by social networking.

• The project will be displayed at the Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art in 2017.