A brief note from the Curator. "Shy Shamed Secret Shadowed Hidden" consists of approximately 100 original photographs from the collection of Victor Minx, the pseudonym of a prominent collector of vintage photographs. All the photographs pre-date the digital era. That is, all are unique, original, vintage photos printed on paper at or near the time of their being taken. Some were printed in editions and sold "under the counter" or in the back pages of men's magazines, others were taken as a memento by an amateur photographer for his own use. All fit the criteria indicated by the title of the exhibition. They were collected over time from various sources and selected for their pathos, artistic quality (or lack of it) historical interest and most of all, their authenticity. Each one has something to say about the relationship between women and men, sexuality, commerce, and how we define lust, desire, legitimacy, intimacy and allure. Each photo depicts an individual (or several on occasion) engaging in behavior which was likely not intended to be shared in proper company, yet each was taken, preserved and exists nonetheless, regardless of convention and acceptable standards at the time. Unlike the photographs of women seen in magazines, on the web and nearly every way the eye turns, there has been no air-brushing, manipulation, enhancement or censoring. No one shown here is selling anything, except possibly themselves. What the camera and the photographer COULD do was done.
