Real Pictures

Real Pictures is the result of many decades of photographs recording the day- to- day workings of a large family. As Chris Wiley of the New Yorker says "there is a tenderness and a sensitivity in these pictures of family that cannot be faked. Nolan is not embedded with her subjects, she is entwined. As such, the pictures not only show that she has an eye, but also a heart."
Real Pictures communicates something profound and familiar. The seriousness of the ordinary human events that gets one from here to there while hopefully initiating the future generation in qualities admirable and kind.
Got married raised seven kids lived in the projects stayed home cooked and cleaned dreamed of making art started photographing shoplifted film learned to print shot a lot of pictures stole more film moved out of the projects went back to college shot more film studied hard got a job shot more pictures got divorced got pierced up worked harder graduated from college stole more film got some grants got some attention not really enough shot more film made more and more pictures got a better job went back to college graduated from graduate school kids grew moved out of the house shot more film got more grants got more attention still not enough calmed down stopped stealing film slowed down some started thinking more shot better pictures calmed down slowed down still thinking still making pictures.
Bonnie Clearwater is an American writer and art historian. She is the director and chief curator of Nova Southeastern University's Museum of Art Fort Lauderdale.
Suzanne Opton is the recipient of a 2009 Guggenheim Fellowship. Her soldier portraits, icons of the aftermath of the current wars, have been presented as billboards in eight American cities, and have sparked a passionate debate about issues of art and soldiering.
There is a tenderness and a sensitivity in these pictures of family that cannot be faked. Nolan is not embedded with her subjects, she is entwined. As such, the pictures not only show she has an eye, but also a heart.
- Chris Wiley, The New Yorker
"Nolan seamlessly blends the everyday nature of her subjects with beautiful stylistic techniques...",
- Musee Magazine, October 29, 2018
Also featured by:
Photo District News
Humble Arts Foundation