I'm Muslim Don't Panik, 2010 by Susan A. Barnett

Armed with a Leicaflex SL2 and 24mm f/2.8 lens, NYC-based Contender Susan A. Barnett searches the city for a particular object: t-shirts that say something, anything about the subject she's photographing. The series Not in Your Face isn't about the verbiage tees, or the brand/logo tees, however. Instead, Barnett aims to capture a different type of portrait, one that challenges the notion that portraits should show defining characteristics. In shooting only from the back, Barnett tests "whether body type, dress and demeanor can tell us just as much as a facial expression might." The resulting series captures a sense of American culture, individuality and personality, as seen through street photography.

Stop Violence Against Women, 2010 by Susan A. Barnett

In her artist statement, Barnett explains:

These photographs are not about the t-shirt, per se. They are about identity, validation and perception, but are the stories of people who tell their own stories. I look for individuals who stand out in a crowd by their choice of the message on their back. These messages are often combinations of pictures and words that are appropriated from contemporary culture, but have the effect of mixing up meanings and creating new meanings. On the streets, these personalities create their own iconography that explores the cultural, political and social issues that have an impact on our everyday lives. In these photographs we witness a chronicle of American subcultures and vernaculars [that] illustrate the American identity. These photographs demonstrate how these individuals wear a kind of badge of honor or trophy that says, "I belong to this group, not the other." Each one of these people reveal a part of themselves that advertises their hopes, ideals, likes, dislikes, political views and personal mantras.

Viva Avant Garde, 2010 by Susan A. Barnett

Not in Your Face has previously been featured in Lens Culture, Popular Photography, PDN and Lenscratch, and has won awards from Photo Review, IPA and the Photo World Annual Awards. The book Not in Your Face will be published in 2011 by the Silas Finch Foundation.

With a formal education in Art History and Studio Art, Barnett worked at Perls Galleries on Madison Avenue for 12 years as Associate Director, handling Picassos, Braques, Legers and Matisses, as well as preparing exhibitions and catalogues for Alexander Calder. The artist has exhibited at Soho Photo, Center for Fine Art Photography, Griffin Museum of Photography, Pacific Center NW and New York Photo Festival, among others.