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Sam Taylor-Johnson

British

1967, England, United Kingdom

Biography

Sam Taylor-Johnson studied sculpture at Goldsmiths College in London, but has worked primarily in photography and video. She investigates her medium's position between reality and representation (a common interest among video artists) with particular lyricism.

Many of her works center on themes of disconnection — between sound and image, for example. In other instances, her performers mime apparently heartfelt performances, or the artist herself floats gracefully but implausibly in midair. Her collaborations with actors, musicians, and athletes often use their celebrity as a point of reference, at times casting them against type.

A recurring theme in Taylor-Johnson's work is direct quotation of art history; she has drawn on a diverse range of subjects, from Italian Renaissance religious painting to Japanese erotic woodblock prints.

Works in the Collection

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