Jody Quon is Photography Director at New York magazine. Prior to that she was Deputy Photo Editor at The New York Times Magazine.
 
 

NYPH: How does your work at New York magazine influence I don’t really know what kind of girl I am, your exhibition for the New York Photo Festival?
 
Jody Quon: Portraiture is an art form that I have always been drawn to. The magazine’s varied subject matter requires me to think about many different applications of this—from the most straightforward approach, to the highly stylized, to conceptual portraiture. I naturally get to interface with many different talents, as I push to introduce new visual voices on the magazine page. As you will see from my show, the style and execution of portraiture of any one subject —in this case women—varies greatly from the highly stylized, to the very gritty and raw. Yet, each artist is equally effective in delivering the essence of the subject.
 
NYPH: What was your inspiration for I don’t really know what kind of girl I am and what do you hope to accomplish with this show?

 
JQ: I have always been drawn to portraits of women in art. This show became the excuse to curate an interesting and varied representation of women I love—women that I respond to— while being able to tap into a modernity that easily allows for the most classical to more avant-garde photographs to co-exist in one cohesive show. After having gathered a larger group of works by different artists, I could see that the direction the show was taking was actually one that was about my daughter. Each artist’s series evokes different qualities, that, as I wonder how my daughter will eventually evolve as a woman, I hope she will possess even just a little bit of—from the uninhibited, to the perverse, and even to the artificial. It is a cocktail of these many qualities that will make her strong. My hope is that the viewer will have an emotional response to these women.
 
NYPH: What do you hope viewers will take away after seeing the show?
 
JQ: There is a universal beauty that I hope comes across in this assemblage of portraits.
 

NYPH: What do you think will be the impact of the New York Photo Festival on the photography world?
 
JQ: The careful selection of curators from varied backgrounds will make this festival a powerful force in the photography world. It is both crucial and fantastic to annually bring together the vastly different cultures of photography for one finite period.
 

NYPH: This is a chance for you to showcase what you perceive to be the future of photography. What is the significance of this opportunity, and what is the significance of hosting the festival in New York City?
 
JQ: NYC is the melting pot, the metropolis of the world, and therefore the most natural location for a festival with a mission to bring together global talent that is both timely and critical.