Only let people who love you photograph you.

The Contemporary Dayton presents an exciting new body of work by Dayton-based photographer, Amy Lynn Powell. Only let people who love you photograph you. is made up of hundreds of images the artist selected from social media that were tagged “Dayton, OH,” which she then printed and arranged specifically for the exhibition. 

Working in the pictorial tradition of American photographer Emmet Gowin (b. 1941), Powell is known for her intimate portraits of her family. Noted for their vivid colors, precise composition, and evocative allure, Powell strives to capture the banal beauty of the suburbs. For this project, however, she turns the notion of artist/photographer/curator on its head, and selects other’s images based on their striking composition, absurdity, poignancy, and visually compelling qualities; collectively, creating a portrait of a place and its citizens living their lives during perilous times.

Amy Lynn Powell (b. 1979) is a photographer and educator living in Dayton, Ohio. Powell studied photography at Columbus College of Art & Design (BFA) and earned a Master of Fine Arts from Ohio State. Powell‘s intimate documentary work has been published with TIME Magazine and collected by The Dayton Art Institute. Her clients have included The New York Times, Rolling Stone, The Washington Post, and more.

Amy Lynn Powell: Only let people who love you photograph you. is courtesy of the artist and is organized by The Co as part of the 2022 FotoFocus Biennial.

Courtesy of the artist.