Larry Sultan's Photography Captures American Domestic Life Through a Lense of Ambivalence and Irony
Sitting in his home in the San Fernando Valley, Larry Sultan reflects on his life as a photographer. He was once deemed "anxiety-prone individual" by the military during his psychiatric review in 1969. Yet, this anxiety proved to be an asset for him as he began his career photographing American domestic life.
Sultan's photographs often captured the ordinary middle-class homes rented out for porn shoots, blurring the line between the mundane and the risqué. He also photographed Paris Hilton in her parents' bedroom, a scene that reveals the artificiality of fame. Underwater pictures of people learning to swim in San Francisco showed the beauty in an everyday activity.
One of his most famous works is "Pictures from Home", which documents his ageing parents at home in the valley suburbs. The photographs capture the tenderness and affection between them but also hint at a more complicated family dynamic. Sultan's father was an orphan who worked his way up to become vice-president of Schick Razors, only to lose his job later in life.
Sultan's relationship with his father was strained, with him calling his son a "loser" for pursuing art as a career. However, through the lens of his camera, he reveals a more nuanced understanding of his family's dynamics and the American dream.
The photographs also capture Sultan's personal style, including his love of postwar pop culture and his fondness for fast food. His photographs often feel like private images that find a place in public, encouraging us to examine our own perceptions of ourselves and those around us.
Throughout his life, teaching became an essential part of who he was as a photographer. He taught at California College of the Arts for two decades, where students describe him as "deeply funny, kind, sharp, and devoted". His photography continues to influence artists today, with Carmen Winant recalling his curiosity as a defining quality.
As a photographer, Sultan captured America's domestic life through an unflinching lens of ambivalence and irony. His work encourages us to question our perceptions of the world around us and find healing in art.
Sitting in his home in the San Fernando Valley, Larry Sultan reflects on his life as a photographer. He was once deemed "anxiety-prone individual" by the military during his psychiatric review in 1969. Yet, this anxiety proved to be an asset for him as he began his career photographing American domestic life.
Sultan's photographs often captured the ordinary middle-class homes rented out for porn shoots, blurring the line between the mundane and the risqué. He also photographed Paris Hilton in her parents' bedroom, a scene that reveals the artificiality of fame. Underwater pictures of people learning to swim in San Francisco showed the beauty in an everyday activity.
One of his most famous works is "Pictures from Home", which documents his ageing parents at home in the valley suburbs. The photographs capture the tenderness and affection between them but also hint at a more complicated family dynamic. Sultan's father was an orphan who worked his way up to become vice-president of Schick Razors, only to lose his job later in life.
Sultan's relationship with his father was strained, with him calling his son a "loser" for pursuing art as a career. However, through the lens of his camera, he reveals a more nuanced understanding of his family's dynamics and the American dream.
The photographs also capture Sultan's personal style, including his love of postwar pop culture and his fondness for fast food. His photographs often feel like private images that find a place in public, encouraging us to examine our own perceptions of ourselves and those around us.
Throughout his life, teaching became an essential part of who he was as a photographer. He taught at California College of the Arts for two decades, where students describe him as "deeply funny, kind, sharp, and devoted". His photography continues to influence artists today, with Carmen Winant recalling his curiosity as a defining quality.
As a photographer, Sultan captured America's domestic life through an unflinching lens of ambivalence and irony. His work encourages us to question our perceptions of the world around us and find healing in art.
. He was able to capture some amazing shots by seeing things from a different perspective, you know? His work is like, totally thought-provoking - it makes you question what's real and what's not in our daily lives. And I love how he blended the ordinary with the risqué - it's like, whoa! It's also cool that he was able to show his personal style through his photography, it feels super intimate and relatable. His teaching at CalArts is awesome too, I'm sure his students learned a lot from him 
. Overall, I think his work is a reminder that art can be healing and thought-provoking at the same time 
I mean, have you seen those pics from "Pictures from Home"? They're like, super relatable... but also kinda weird? Like, his dad was this successful guy, but he's struggling with his own demons... it's like the American dream is all messed up. 
And can we talk about how Sultan used to get anxiety meds for being anxious?! 
It's crazy how that "flaw" ended up helping him capture the essence of everyday life. His photography is like, a commentary on our own perceptions and the world around us... it's super deep, dude 
! It's like he's peeking into people's private lives, but instead of being intrusive, he's super honest and self-aware about it 
. I mean, who hasn't felt like their parents are weirdos too? 
His photos of his family's home life are both beautiful and awkward at the same time – kinda like my own family's dinner gatherings 
. What I love most is that he's not afraid to show the messy parts, but also the tender moments. It's like he's giving us permission to be imperfect too 
. And let's be real, who wouldn't want a camera that captures the beauty in everyday activities like swimming lessons 
? The more I look at his work, the more I realize how much we all need art that challenges our perceptions of ourselves and others 
.
but like for real his photos are giving me all these feelings about fam dynamics & the american dream 
His obsession with his family and the American Dream is kinda cringeworthy, tbh. And don't even get me started on how they're trying to make him sound like some kind of hero for teaching at Cal Arts for 20 years 
... Like, yeah, we get it, he was a good teacher, but does that make up for all the cheesy pics of his parents' awkward family moments? 
teachin' was such an important part of his life too 
he's all about findin' healing in art, which is like, totally relatable for me 
. His photography is like a private journal that everyone can relate to 
. I'm so down for a more nuanced understanding of the American dream, you know? 
. And can we give it up for this guy who was an awesome teacher too? 
10/10 would show his work to anyone interested in photography 
. His use of irony and ambivalence really highlights the contradictions we often find in our own experiences 
. But at the same time, his portraits of his parents, especially his dad, are super tender 
. I love how art can make us see things from a different perspective 
. Anyway, his work is just really thought-provoking 
his love for postwar pop culture is so underrated too - he's like a time capsule or something 
. it's like he's saying, "hey, let's look at ourselves and be weird about it"