E. F. Kitchen
"Tony Bill", from the "L. A. Portrait" Series

"Tony Bill", from the "L. A. Portrait" Series
"Tony Bill", from the "L. A. Portrait" Series
"Tony Bill", from the "L. A. Portrait" Series
ArtistAmerican, born 1951
CultureAmerican
Titles
  • "Tony Bill", from the "L. A. Portrait" Series
DateJune 1985
MediumSilver dye bleach print
DimensionsImage: 7 1/2 × 9 5/16 in. (19.1 × 23.7 cm)
Sheet: 7 15/16 × 10 in. (20.2 × 25.4 cm)
Credit LineThe Sonia and Kaye Marvins Portrait Collection, museum purchase funded by Sonia and Kaye Marvins
Object number86.150
Non exposé

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Department
Photography
Special Collections
Object Type
Description

Derived from her abiding interest in
the natural colors of the landscape, Lisa Kitchen's portraits incorporate the sumptuous
greens, reds, and blues that she encounters constantly outside the confines of
her studio. Rather than use a black velvet or white paper backdrop, which she
finds very unappealing, Kitchen literally has taken pieces of the landscape
into her studio as background material. Here, the director-producer Tony Bill
is set against a lush green curtain of turf that simulates a natural
environment in a totally unnatural studio situation. As the particular
attributes of color and the look of everyday people in attitudes unique to
themselves are her primary concerns, Kitchen uses sunlight instead of
artificial lamps as illumination, and she encourages her subjects to dress in
ordinary attire and to assume comfortable, personal poses when in front of her
camera.





The L.A. Portrait series began as a pseudodocumentary project which
reflected Kitchen's interest and involvement in her Venice, California, surroundings
and which eventually mushroomed to include a larger area of southern
California. Neighbors and friends were invited to have their portraits made in
front of backdrops of turf or fresh roses. Tony Bill, one of her first sitters,
has offices across the way from Kitchen's studio and is part-owner of a
restaurant down the street.




ProvenanceThe artist, Venice, California; purchased by MFAH, 1986.

Cataloguing data may change with further research.

If you have questions about this work of art or the MFAH Online Collection please contact us.

CCXXII Malone - View from across the street
E. F. Kitchen
1986
Platinum/palladium print
2000.785
CCXXII Malone - View from the side
E. F. Kitchen
1986
Platinum/palladium print
2000.786
Jennifer Fabos I, Venice, CA
E. F. Kitchen
1998
Platinum/palladium print
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Memorial Drive
E. F. Kitchen
1986
Platinum/palladium print
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CCXXII Malone I
E. F. Kitchen
1986
Platinum/palladium print
2000.228
Bayou City
E. F. Kitchen
1986
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Christian Temple, 5th Ward
E. F. Kitchen
1986
Platinum/palladium print
2000.229
Nabisco Cookie Factory I, 2nd Ward
E. F. Kitchen
1986
Platinum/palladium print
2000.781
The Main Street Prince's
E. F. Kitchen
1986
Platinum/palladium print
2000.782
The Old Root Beer Barrel on Richmond Avenue
E. F. Kitchen
1986
Platinum/palladium print
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Old Gable Street Power Station
E. F. Kitchen
1986
Platinum/palladium print
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Nabisco Cookie Factory II, 2nd Ward
E. F. Kitchen
1986
Platinum/palladium print
2000.780