Jimmy De Sana
101 Nudes

White Columns is pleased to present a rare showing of the late Jimmy De Sana’s (1950 – 1990) seminal photographic work “101 Nudes.” Originally created in 1972 when the artist was in his early twenties “101 Nudes” consists of 56 half-tone reproductions of De Sana’s (seemingly) casually shot black-and-white photographs. Partly influenced by De Sana’s early exposure to (1950s) pornography which he characterized as being shot with “a flash camera” and “grainy,” “101 Nudes” depicts the artist, his friends and acquaintances posing (mostly) nude in domestic and suburban settings. Eschewing the confrontational posturing of pornography “101 Nudes” instead articulates a far more informal and participatory set of aesthetic and social relationships. Originally self-published as a portfolio by the artist on “a little printing press … that I didn’t have total control over” “101 Nudes” has been described as both “subversive” and “self-deprecating”: its startling immediacy is as apparent today as when originally created 35 years ago. (The portfolio was originally published in 1972 by the artist, and subsequently published by A.R.T. Press in 1991. White Columns is showing the complete set of prints from the A.R.T. Press edition.) Jimmy De Sana (1950 – 1990). Solo exhibitions include: Galerie Jablonka, Cologne (1989); Pat Hearn Gallery, New York (1988, 1986). Group shows include: “Hollywoodland”, Fiction/Nonfiction, New York (1989); “Erotophobia”, Simon Watson Gallery, New York (1989); “Staging The Self: Photography 1840 – 1985”, National Portrait Gallery, London (1985); “Lower East Side”, Artists Space, New York (1984); “Subculture”, Group Material, Franklin Furnace, New York (1983); “New York, New Wave”, PS1, New York (1981); “Times Square Show”, New York (1980); amongst others. His seminal book “Submission” (1980, Scat Publications, NY) remains out-of-print; the monograph “Jimmy De Sana” (A.R.T. Press, 1990) which features an interview with the artist by Laurie Simmons and an essay by Roberta Smith is available from White Columns and A.R.T. Press www.artresourcestransfer.orgWhite Columns would like to thank Alejandro Cesarco and Laurie Simmons for their help with this project.