Steven Rotter

Image © Steven Rotter

About Sleeping Beauties

Steven Rotter is known for his images of quotidian subjects, including foods, hand tools, and objects that serve as metaphors for landscapes or people. Recently he has turned portraiture.

His series Sleeping Beauties displays his ability to create captivating and thought-provoking images. By drawing inspiration from Medieval, Renaissance and Netherlandish devotional paintings, he infuses his images with a sense of worship, spirituality and devotion. This series also pays homage to photographer Walker Evans' book "Many Are Called", which documented passengers on the New York City subway in the 1930s. Like Evans, he uses photography as a way to explore the human condition and society at large.

Through his unique perspective and observation, he invites viewers to appreciate the beauty and significance of everyday moments. His choice to focus specifically on women subway riders is notable. By featuring subjects who often share similar traits, such as closed eyes and peaceful expressions, the artist creates a visually cohesive collection that emphasizes a poetics of beauty.

About Steven Rotter

Steven Rotter is an accomplished photographer who has exhibited his work in numerous museums and galleries in New York City, the United States and Europe.

His education at Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, New York, provided him with a strong foundation in artistic techniques and conceptual development. He further practiced his skills and artistic vision as a founding member of Russian émigré artists Vitaly Komar and Alexander Melamid’s School of Bayonne, a renowned art school known for its experimental and avant-garde teachings.

He continues his artistic exploration of what a photograph can be through his intelligent, funny and beautiful way of seeing traditional subjects.

Born in Brooklyn, New York. Currently lives in Sherwood, Oregon.