I Remember Tierney


Tierney Gearon, photographer, former model, dancer, mother, daughter.
In my search to find a new direction in my own life, I have been seeking out those I've known and taken a look at where their passions have led them. Like my old friend, photographer Donna Demari, fellow model Tierney Gearon also chose to express herself by shooting the world as she sees it, through the lens of a camera. After a controversial 2001 showing at the Saatchi Gallery in London, where some of her work contained nude images of her own young children, Tierney was thrust into the international spotlight when the English press pounced on the story and Tierney became the reluctant poster child for artistic freedom. In 2006, The Mother Project, a documentary, four years in the making by Jack Youngelson and Peter Sutherland follows Tierney as she puts together her most recent body of work, a series of 70 photographs focused on her mentally ill mother entitled Daddy, Where Are You?
As for the years when my path coincided with Tierney's - we were both living in Paris, working with the same agency, both American and former dancers. We would often end up in Hamburg, Germany, working for the same client, staying in the same rooming house and traveling to and from Paris together. She stood apart even then, in a very personal way that you could never put your finger on. Years later, we both married, moved to London, eventually divorcing and returning home to the States. I am not surprised by her work, despite the alarm the images have caused in the media. I admire her for being true to herself and when I heard her voice on the The Mother Project video trailer, it made me smile.

16 comments:

Fifi Flowers said...

Scary dog! Thank you for stopping by my site and the nice comment... stop by again... I'm always interpreting some photo I find on a blog... who knows I might find one on yours to paint! Fifi

High Desert Diva said...

Playing catch up here! Happy belated birthday!

heidi said...

that mask & baby shot is the BEST!!!

Mrs.French said...

Such talented friends...I believe I said it before, you need to track them down or figure out a way to show them these lovely tributes you post...such a nice person.

vosgesparis said...

hahaa your comment makes me laugh you nosy Miss Marie Louise.. We dutch like to speak our mind haha You should know!! And believe me I already have a house in Malibu my dear .. (do you watch the program 'dream homes' aswell? you prob. saw me in there)... but really it is not that I don't like it or pretend to be better then anothe I just don't like it if people say here is an ugly picture put it on your blog ROFL.... On the other hand I do like you tagging me as I then, can finally tell you everything about my stardom live as a rockstar in Malibu... hihi It is funny to read your comment, as I was talking with my family about being tagged and I was saying , Well I could pretend to be a whole different person then from who I really am... so LOL the pretending beach house and the rockstar status went through my head haha. Unfortunatly I know to many real rock stars to know that they are most of the time as down to earth as I am
ROck ON baby!! I will fill in the questions this weekend
Hug, desireee

vosgesparis said...

PS A nice story about your friend and fun to read yu were a little star yourself. So did YOU end up with a house on the beach then *smiles*

littlebyrd said...

Thanks for this profile of your friend - very interesting read. It sounds like you have had so much adventure in your life...The bottom picture kind of scared me at first them made me laugh! Thanks!

Rachel Ball said...

wow, interesting works, I'm glad to have found out about this photographer.

marie-louise said...

Very, very great photos! And Hello to you from one with the same name as you:)

Krissy | Paper Schmaper said...

Very interesting! Thanks for sharing this. I love that bottom photo. hehehe.

vosgesparis said...

heya... i;ve answerd allll the questions so have a look ;)Only tagged one other though ;P Wll I;m off now as Ih have to fly to the Hamptons in a bit ..... yeah really! Have a very nice weekend ;)

My lovely cottage said...

beautiful pictures and a very interesting story.thanks

muralimanohar said...

Wow, those are some really cool pics! Very talented, your friend!!

Paris said...

Yes I remember that whole Saatchi media frenzy. Awe that little baby in the last pic, bless him! xx

Heather said...

Oh my goodness this blog post was insightful! The last photograph is forever burned into my memory. It is a MASTERPIECE like no other I've seen. Thank you for bringing such information to me.

Heather
My Photography & More>

Ginger said...

Had fun looking at that fun picture of the scary Dog and baby crying great photo!
Hugs ginger

"It's never too late to be who you might have been." --George Eliot