Sarah Charlesworth Photography at New Msm. of Contemp. Art

The arresting exhibit of Sarah Charlesworth's (Amer. b 1947-2013) photographs is hypnotic, haunting and alluring.  Charlesworth regarded herself as a conceptual artist and did not want to be labled as a  photographer.  Her legacy of photos will connect her with the "Pictures Generation 1980's" which includes Cindy Sherman, Richard Prince and Nan Goldin.  The DOUBLEWORLD show that is about to close at the New Museum of Contemporary Art portrays a prolific body of photographs with a skillful eye for composition and color.  Horrific, iconic images of people jumping from the Twin Towers on 9/11 will forever be entwined with the tragic murder of thousands of innocent lives.  As a  witness to the event recounted "I felt compelled to look out of respect for those jumping to their deaths."  Charlesworth's STILLS series from 1980 are 6'6" black/white blurred photos of people leaping or falling to their deaths from tall buildings.  The int'l photos of both men & women command our respect.  They are startling with an eerie somnolence.  Her other series:  Objects of Desire (1983-88) I found incredibly beautiful.  The mostly solitary items appear to radiate a shimmering light.  Some photos give off a cool, peaceful ambiance and others an ominous, immoral aura.  In the case of the Blue Buddah, the diptych is both peaceful and frightening.  Is the aperture a divide between celestial skies or eternal death.  Sadly, Charlesworth died suddently of an aneurism in 2013 at the age of 66.  She received 4 Nat'l Endowments for the Arts & a Guggenheim Fellowship.  She had requested her work be shown at the New Museum.  I strongly urge viewing DOUBLEWORLD before it leaves on Sept. 20th.