This week on Community Corner we mixed it up a little, chatting with renowned photographer Lynn Goldsmith about her upcoming exhibit at The Centennial Park Conservancy’s Parthenon. Our conversation covered her many creative ventures, got philosophical at times, and touched on why the Parthenon is the perfect space to display The Looking Glass, which is open to the public June 24th through October 13th.
Goldsmith graciously chalked up my botched introduction to an artistic choice designed to highlight the humanity mirrored by her new exhibit, which really set the tone for an authentic conversation about identity, self, and creativity. She humbly explained that her desire to pursue different mediums of expression stemmed from a desire to chase passion rather than chase the talents for which she had already been validated by peers. It just so happens that those passions led Goldsmith to successful careers as an Island Records recording artist, a TV producer, radio producer, artist manager, and of course, as a legendary music photographer.
While photographing music icons like Patti Smith, Michael Jackson, Bruce Springsteen and more, Goldsmith realized that if she could become proficient as a make-up artist, it might give her a competitive edge over studios that, at the time, didn’t have a budget for aestheticians. The process of getting ready for those shoots made her wonder about the many ways that our perception of our identity can fluctuate and even differ from the way others perceive us. Eventually, she decided to explore the question through a self-portrait series where she did her own make-up and took all her own photos while modeling in them. Easy, right?
You can see the introspective collection The Looking Glass on display at The Parthenon, from now through October 13th. For those who can’t make it to Nashville, you can check out the virtual reception on The Centennial Park Conservancy’s Facebook page, here, on Tuesday, June 29th. For our music lovers out there, we encourage you to check out the Rock and Roll Photo Gallery here in Nashville (appointment only) for an incredible collection of music photography curated by Goldsmith.
You can catch the interview on-air on Saturday, June 26th at 7:00 AM, or you can stream our full conversation with Lynn Goldsmith below: