Susan Anderson is a Los Angeles-based commercial, editorial and fine art photographer specializing in fashion, portraiture, and conceptual/narrative work. Having earned her Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree from the prestigious Art Institute of Chicago, Anderson relocated to Los Angeles in 2001 and her talents have been in demand ever since. Her portraits to date have included the likes of singer/songwriter Neko Case, rock group They Might Be Giants, SNL's Fred Armisen, Actress Rose McGowan, and Minor Accomplishments' Laura Kightlinger. Susan's background as a television production designer is evident in her work. An avid cinephile and connoisseur of art history, Anderson knows how a single frame can tell a story that resonates with her viewers. This has made her a perfect fit for her numerous editorial and advertising accounts including: The Robb Report, Glamour, Los Angeles Magazine, People, HBO, IFC, Barton Brands, and Bedhead PJs. The success of Chronicle Books' 2006 provocative humor title, Porn for Women, which Anderson was commissioned to illustrate photographically, will be followed by a sequel, Porn for New Moms, scheduled for releasein Spring of 2008.
Anderson's fine art photography work is represented by Paul Kopeikin Gallery in Los Angeles. She is currently working on a book and exhibition titled, High Glitz, The Surreal World of Child Beauty Pageants.
Photography / Solo Exhibitions-Current / Forthcoming
High Glitz - Kopeikin Gallery, West Hollywood, California. October 24- December 24 2009.
State of Mind: A California Invitational. Group juried exhibition at The Museum of Photographic Arts San Diego, California. Opening February 2010
PINK: Curated by Beth DeWoody. Group exhibition at Sarah Gavlak Gallery, Palm Beach, Florida. Opening February 13, 2010.
Photography / Group Exhibitions
Achtung Baby-A group exhibition at the Gemeente[museum]Helmond The Netherlands. June 6- Sept 9, 2009 Achtung Baby is concerned with the following themes: hedonism, the condition humaine' adolescence, consumerism and the quest for beauty and glamor. The show features works from the permanent collection and recent acquisitions from the following artists: Thomas Wrede (D), Jason and Carlos Sanchez (CAN), Susan Anderson (USA) and David Goldbold (UK) In addition, the museum installations Yael Bartana (IL) and Koen Hauser, images of Merijn Bolink and Maria Roosen, an animated film by Lars Arrhenius (S) and video clips of Anton Corbijn.
High Glitz- TORCH Gallery, Amsterdam, The Netherlands. January 29 – February 21 2009.
Sexy Time: A Group Effort- An exhibition of emerging and mid-career artists working in a variety of media. This exhibition attempts to address the multiple ways we filter, confront, and communicate sexuality through humor and satirical means. Humor is often used as a coping mechanism to confront loaded issues such as sex, desire, violence, and politics. Morgan/Lehman Gallery,New York, June 5-August 8, 2008.
Sugar and Spice- An exhibition of color photographs by Susan Anderson, Amy Stevens and Alex Prager. These three contribute their own visual perspectives on our society’s obsessive desire to dress up, decorate and dramatize curated by Anne Palleson, Photographic Center NW, Seattle Washington, May 2-28, 2008.
HEF- A group exhibition exploring of the legacy of Hugh Hefner and Playboy Magazine. Curated by Chris Pate, Jail Gallery, Los Angeles, March 29 – May 3, 2008
EGO- A Study in Portraiture. Part 01: Photography. Works by Susan Anderson, Heather Cantrell, Eduardo Consuegra, Leigh Ledare, Peter Lograsso, Samantha Magowan, Steven Schkolne and Carrie Yury. Jail Gallery, Los Angeles. August 25- September 22, 2007
From Steel to Flesh On the occasion of Gary Indiana hosting the Miss America Beauty Pageant, the University of Indiana concurrently featured an exhibition addressing Maleness today. Curated by Lisa Wainwright, Professor of Art History and Criticism, The School of the Art Institute of Chicago (2001)
PINK! Photography An exhibition addressing the implications of the color Pink as interpreted by a variety of female artists. Jean Albano Gallery, Chicago Illinois. Curated by Lisa Wainwright, Professor of Art History and Criticism, The School of the Art Institute of Chicago. (1997)
Publications / Books
High Glitz- PowerHouse Books, Brooklyn, New York. USA. October 2009
artist statement
Documentary portrait series, High Glitz, is shot on location at several of America’s child beauty pageants. Setting up her studio amidst the colorful spectacle, she captures the young girls at the height of their performance. Hours of preparation are spent on each child's appearance, and her camera records it all in graphic detail. Children’s pageants are a fascinating subculture, but more than anything they represent a strange microcosm of America itself. Our own values of beauty, success and glamour reflected in the dreams of thousands of young girls… Anderson is a Los Angeles-based fine art, commercial, and editorial photographer specializing in portraiture, beauty, fashion, and conceptual work. After earning her BFA from the Art Institute of Chicago, Anderson relocated to Los Angeles in 2001. Her editorial work has appeared in a variety of magazines including, Los Angeles, People, Glamour and Playboy. Chronicle books has commissioned her to illustrate their wildly successful series of humorous trade paperbacks, Porn for Women, and the sequel, Porn for New Moms. Her fine art work is represented by Kopeikin Gallery in Los Angeles, California. andTORCH Gallery in Amsterdam, The Netherlands.