“A family doesn’t have to be a mom and a dad and a kid. We build family and community in other ways, too.”

Catherine Opie (b. 1961). Joanne, Betsy, & Olivia, Bayside, New York, 1998. Chromogenic print, 40 x 50 inches, edition of 5

In 1998 Catherine Opie embarked (along with her dog) on a “great American road trip.” Over three months she completed a 9,000-mile journey across the United States photographing lesbian families and couples in their home environments. The resulting series of photographs titled Domestic (1995–98) presents these families involved in everyday household activities: relaxing in their backyard, hanging out in their kitchen, or playing with their children. There is no sensationalism here. These intimate photographs speak both to Opie's identification with her subjects and to the overwhelming absence of such images in mainstream representations.

Domestic was Opie’s first major presentation of photographic subjects from outside of her regular daily experience. Nonetheless the series is deeply connected to her personal life. “My work is always close to home,” she has said, whether home is defined as the place where she lives, the houses of others, or the country she lives in. Domestic is part of her effort to make visible a virtually unrepresented, or misrepresented, sector of society. Lesbian couples and families are represented from nearly every region of the country. Nearly every race is also represented, as are old and young, rich and poor, urban and suburban. The domestic households shown comprise couples, parents with their children, and collectives. Photographing her sitters in their own homes, Opie carefully constructed images that appear as individual as their subjects, skillfully manipulating her large-format camera to create the effect of a snapshot, capturing people amid the daily routines of their lives. Added layers of meaning lie in the numerous details of her large format prints. For example, a plastic dollhouse and a white picket fence hint at myths of the traditional American home, while windows offer glimpses of the outside world from which these domestic spaces provide shelter.

Domestic is a photographic exploration into relationships that thrive in the privacy of the home, and presents a different perspective on the classic American dream that questions what constitutes the ideal home and the ideal family.

• Describe this image as carefully as you can. What are some of the details you noticed only after a thorough examination?
• What do you think this scene will look like 10 minutes from now? Explain your response.
• Imagine that your first viewing of this room was without its occupants. Who would you imagine inhabited this space? Are they similar or different from the people you see here? Explain.
• Imagine that the first time you encounter this family was while they were outside their home. How would you picture where they live? Would you imagine it to be similar or different from this setting? Explain your response.
• Although at first glance this photograph may have the feeling of a candid snapshot, Opie actually combines elements that are carefully pre-planned with those that are more spontaneous. Which elements of this photograph appear to be staged, and which parts appear more impromptu? Explain your response.

• Work with two partners, each taking the role of one of the people in this photograph. Collaboratively write a short dialogue that suggests what they might be talking about, and then take on the posture of your character and perform the script for your classmates. Were the dialogues of your classmates similar or different from one another? How did various people in the class interpret what was being communicated?
  English / Language Arts


• The “great American road trip” has served as inspiration for works of art and popular culture, providing a theme for many well-known books, films, and television programs. Research one or more of these works, and discuss how each is supported by the experience of the road trip.
  
  Books
  Jack Kerouac, On the Road, 1957
  John Steinbeck, Travels with Charley, 1962
  Films
  Easy Rider, 1969
  Thelma and Louise, 1991
  Television programs
  Route 66, 1960–64
  Charles Kuralt, On the Road, 1967–80
  English / Language Arts


• Create your own domestic photograph. Decide which elements of your household are most characteristic. Who should be included? What will they be doing? Where should they be situated? Carefully consider the lighting and environment, then take the picture. Share the photograph with your classmates and discuss how the decisions you made impart meaning to the photograph.
  Visual Arts


• According to recent census figures, approximately 1 million children are currently being raised by same-sex couples. There are many resources available including books, Web sites, and films that provide guidance for adults on how to speak with children about same-sex relationships and other gender-related topics. The Resources section of this section contains several suggestions.
  Social Studies