Renate Aller’s “side walk“
by LOUIS JACOBSON
SEPTEMBER 14TH, 2020
Renate Aller: side walk
Photographer Renate Aller was in Washington right before the coronavirus pandemic shut everything down. On March 6, she and her husband Hugh were visiting the Conrad Hotel, which had purchased a large number of her signature oceanscapes. The couple had dinner—their last indoor meal with friends to date—with a small group of curators; then they went on her last trip to a museum. Though based in New York City, Aller has long been connected to D.C. through her multiple shows at the Adamson Gallery, which closed its physical location prior to the pandemic but continues to represent her virtually. When Aller returned to New York, she decided to document the impact of social distancing on her neighbors and friends over April and May. She photographed herself meeting friends on her street, often the participants’ first face-to-face contact in weeks, always seated six feet apart and wearing masks. The collection, titled side walk, is now, appropriately for the pandemic era, posted online. The subjects, mostly posed in front of the same white-painted doors, offer poses that range from heartfelt to downbeat to giddy, with the dog, musical instrument, or fashion-forward clothing adding some verve to the tense historical moment. The full project is available at renatealler.com. —Louis Jacobson
“side walk” Renate Aller with Aimee Good