A woman poses in 17th-century clothing as part of Maxine Helfman's photo series "Historical Correction." Helfman shot the series in 2012, posing black subjects to look like old Flemish paintings.
Rethinking the Flemish portrait —
A woman poses in 17th-century clothing as part of Maxine Helfman's photo series "Historical Correction." Helfman shot the series in 2012, posing black subjects to look like old Flemish paintings.
Maxine Helfman
Centuries ago, this style of portrait was strictly for the European elite -- not people of color.
Rethinking the Flemish portrait —
Centuries ago, this style of portrait was strictly for the European elite -- not people of color.
Maxine Helfman
Helfman's images subvert the obvious storyline -- that social strata often break down along racial lines.
Rethinking the Flemish portrait —
Helfman's images subvert the obvious storyline -- that social strata often break down along racial lines.
Maxine Helfman
Helfman's subjects wear the same aloof expressions as 17th-century noblemen and women.
Rethinking the Flemish portrait —
Helfman's subjects wear the same aloof expressions as 17th-century noblemen and women.
Maxine Helfman
Helfman stages the subjects of her photos to command respect. She doesn't place other objects in the frame, and she shoots from a slightly lower plane to place the model on high. "When you get just a little bit of a lower angle, you're giving that person power," she said.
Rethinking the Flemish portrait —
Helfman stages the subjects of her photos to command respect. She doesn't place other objects in the frame, and she shoots from a slightly lower plane to place the model on high. "When you get just a little bit of a lower angle, you're giving that person power," she said.
Maxine Helfman
Helfman shot the images in Dallas. She wanted to create historical documentation of a population that never was.
Rethinking the Flemish portrait —
Helfman shot the images in Dallas. She wanted to create historical documentation of a population that never was.
Maxine Helfman
Helfman enjoys provoking the audience by placing her subjects in unexpected situations. It's something she has also done in previous photo series.
Rethinking the Flemish portrait —
Helfman enjoys provoking the audience by placing her subjects in unexpected situations. It's something she has also done in previous photo series.
Maxine Helfman
Helfman wants to make people think. "You're so easily brought into these, and by the time you are, you give it some thought and ask some questions," she said.
Rethinking the Flemish portrait —
Helfman wants to make people think. "You're so easily brought into these, and by the time you are, you give it some thought and ask some questions," she said.
Maxine Helfman
Helfman's subjects wear dark period clothing with white collars and other accents.
Rethinking the Flemish portrait —
Helfman's subjects wear dark period clothing with white collars and other accents.
Maxine Helfman
The "Historical Correction" series has been shown in galleries and museums in Santa Barbara, California, and Bangkok, Thailand.
Rethinking the Flemish portrait —
The "Historical Correction" series has been shown in galleries and museums in Santa Barbara, California, and Bangkok, Thailand.
Maxine Helfman
In another series, Helfman photographed boys wearing dresses, inviting the audience to speculate about who and what they were viewing.
Rethinking the Flemish portrait —
In another series, Helfman photographed boys wearing dresses, inviting the audience to speculate about who and what they were viewing.
Maxine Helfman
Helfman is influenced by the work of photographers like Carrie Mae Weems and Seydou Keita.
Rethinking the Flemish portrait —
Helfman is influenced by the work of photographers like Carrie Mae Weems and Seydou Keita.
Maxine Helfman
Helfman's photographs are often loaded with implied questions about race and gender.
Rethinking the Flemish portrait —
Helfman's photographs are often loaded with implied questions about race and gender.
Maxine Helfman
"The longer my series have been out, the more even I understand the layers -- and especially when I hear other people's reaction and other people's comments," Helfman said.
Rethinking the Flemish portrait —
"The longer my series have been out, the more even I understand the layers -- and especially when I hear other people's reaction and other people's comments," Helfman said.
Maxine Helfman