Bio
Deanne Sokolin (born, NYC) is a photographic artist whose work explores identity. She earned an MFA in Photography from the School of Visual Arts and a BA-BFA in Art History and Photography from Tufts University and the Boston Museum School. An early adopter of digital photography, her photographs are widely exhibited at galleries and museums, including the Aperture Foundation, the International Center of Photography, the California Museum of Photography and the Tate Modern. Her solo exhibitions include, the Fitchburg Art Museum, Fitchburg, MA, Fosdick-Nelson Gallery, Alfred University, Alfred, NY, and the Jewish Museum in Philadelphia. Her work is in the permanent collections of the ICP and the Fogg Art Museum at Harvard University, among others.
Sokolin is an ICP Infinity Award nominee, and Aperture, ICP, Kris Graves Projects, and Overlapse Editions have published her photographs. She has participated in artist residencies, including the Banff Centre for the Arts in Alberta, Canada, and the Ghost Ranch in New Mexico. Sokolin has held the position of Lecturer in Photography at Princeton University, School of Visual Arts and Marlboro College. After a robust commercial practice, she returned to artistic practice in 2017 continuing her exploration of identity, ritual and tradition. She lives with her family in Brooklyn, NY.
Statement
Investigating identity has been the primary concern of my photographic artwork to date. Projects are informed by my Jewish cultural heritage and the idea of creating new meaning from old rituals. Each body of work contributes to a broader goal of expanding identity, fostering connection, and supporting the development of new Jewish culture.
I work primarily in the studio with a digital camera and draw on a range of influences including, Conceptual Art, Surrealism, and Documentary Photography. My creative process is driven by inquiry, and guided by the belief—echoed in artist Glenn Ligon’s statement that, “Making art is about figuring out who we are”. Through my work, I seek to raise questions about the relevance of tradition in contemporary life, the balance between assimilation and identity, and the sources of artistic inspiration. Honoring heritage while envisioning new futures, is my mantra.