Marianna RothenShadows in Paradise

Published with Marianna Rothen’s first New York solo exhibition, at Steven Kasher Gallery, this second monograph by the photographer once again delves into a complex meditation on femininity. Through an opaque narrative suggestive of passion, loneliness, intrigue, and betrayal, Rothen’s latest series features strikingly beautiful characters styled in vintage costume and lingerie, creating a 1960s aesthetic. Shot at a location in the Catskills in upstate New York, its natural setting is, at first glance, idyllic. Yet all is not well in paradise, where the presence of a gun and a deteriorating house visually connect with the anxiety and melancholy of Rothen’s carefully staged scenes.