SECOND
Glance
Eye Contact
T
he scope of Polly Gaillard’s photography has evolved through her twenty years behind the camera, yet one theme remains consistent: the breadth of human connection. From the fragile innocence of adolescence to the hardened wisdom of seniority, sincerity in emotion prevails no matter the subject. “I am not interested in beauty, but in a stance, stare, gesture, or something I can’t quite put my finger on that makes the individual unique to me,” she says. “For that moment, I get to connect with the subject and think about what it would be like to be this person in a particular place and time.” For Gaillard, that moment of connection defines a portrait. The click of the shutter captures an unguarded peek into the heart of a stranger. The truth of the eyes, the honesty of the body, and even the beauty of the soul are immortalized through her portraiture.—Hayden Arrington
Polly Gaillard’s show The Last Portrait is on display from November 6–December 4 at the Lipscomb Gallery, located at the South Carolina Governor’s School for the Arts & Humanities. To see more of her work, visit pollygaillard.com.
176 TOWN / towncarolina.com
Polly Gaillard, Maria, Cortona, Italy, 2013. Photograph courtesy of the artist.
Polly Gaillard’s portraits are more than just another face