Beauty supply stores across the U.S. tape surveillance stills of alleged shoplifters to their windows, and Deana Lawson turns those grainy blue-green images into large, reverent photographs framed in luminous black mirror. The series is named for edge control, the baby-hair gel that is among the most stolen items on the shelf. It is a sharp, beautiful and unsettling Gagosian debut, and it runs only through late October.
What to expect
Large pigment prints in black mirror frames alongside holograms, with the deep-horizon colors of security footage. Lawson intervenes only to protect the identities of the people pictured, so the works feel both intimate and anonymous.
Good to know
- Galleries keep shorter hours than museums and close early in the week, so check the gallery site before you go
- Nearest subway is the C/E at 23rd Street
- Pair with Brice Marden at Gagosian West 21st Street and Pace on West 25th Street
- Photography lovers will want to see the mirror frames in person — reproductions miss them
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Common questions
Is this Deana Lawson's first show at Gagosian?
Yes, Gagosian describes it as its first solo exhibition of her work.
What is 'edge control'?
A gel used to smooth baby hairs along the hairline, which Lawson notes is one of the most frequently stolen products in these stores.
