Contraband By Taryn Simon

Her photography and writing have been featured in numerous publications and broadcasts including the New York Times Magazine, The New Yorker, CNN, BBC, Frontline, and NPR. Simon has been a visiting artist at institutions including Yale University, Bard College, Columbia University, School of Visual Arts, and Parsons School of Design.
Major works
Her series The Innocents documents cases of wrongful conviction in the United States and investigates the role of photography in that process. Her series An American Index of the Hidden and Unfamiliar documents a diverse range of subjects within the United States that are largely unknown to its citizens. Her most recent body of work Contraband includes 1075 photographs of items detained or seized from passengers and express mail entering the U.S. from abroad. Simon is also known for her photographs documenting international regions in turmoil.