Glass Houses 7: Jill Pangallo

by Everett Taasevigen February 15, 2009
A woodblock print by Katsushika Hokusai featuring a grassy cliffside with wooden structures and a bridge.
Katsushika Hokusai, "The Hanging-cloud Bridge at Mount Gyōdō near Ashikaga," 1833–1834, color woodblock print, 10 x 14 7/8 inches. Worcester Art Museum, John Chandler Bancroft Collection
A sculpture of the Houston Astrodome by Kambel Smith.
Kambel Smith, "Houston Astrodome," 2024, cardboard, acrylic, spray paint, astroturf and foam board, 42 x 42 x 4 inches.

Jill Pangallo, performance artist and cat lover, lives in Austin with her cat Vinny and a headful of witty characters.

Quickly after meeting “Jill” she and I began discussing a strategy to photograph several of her characters. She then left the room and came back as a different person. We discussed everything from that character’s voice, to her mannerisms and body language. Several character changes went on for a few hours and ended with a conversation with her last character, “Jill Pangallo,” and a brief synopsis of who all the characters were. After leaving Iʼm still not entirely sure who Jill Pangallo is. However, I do know that all her characters are a blend of wit, charm, beauty and intellectual questioning. – Everett Taasevigen

 

When Glasstire approached me about Glass Houses, I saw a unique opportunity to do something I hadn’t done before – invite my personas into my home. I was interested in seeing how they would inhabit the environment and I had defined ideas about which character should be photographed where. Certain rooms or backdrops seemed a natural fit for certain personalities. Everett, the photographer, was very flexible and accommodating about the whole thing, which was like a tornado of costumes, wigs and makeup. Photographer Anna Krachey assisted on the shoot. She and I have been working together for a long time and she’s always got my collective backs. – Jill Pangallo

 

Everett Taasevigen is a photographer living in Houston.

 

 

7 comments

7 comments

jjenkins February 18, 2009 - 18:46

This work is a really bad version of an idea that was popular about 10 years ago (See Nikki S. Lee circa 1998). Please, can’t we do better?

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jillp March 21, 2009 - 21:32

Seeing as I’m in my late 60’s, I take this as a complement.

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summer April 12, 2009 - 09:22

Very bad, more like 30.

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summer April 13, 2009 - 20:52

It dosnt matter if it is an idea that was popular whenever and then redone. It dosnt matter at all. I think it is done well once I looked at it again.

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summer April 13, 2009 - 20:54

The lighting on the woman newscaster in a jumpsuit creates a scary ambience, that mixed with the funny and sad aspects of the woman is kinda touching.

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summer April 13, 2009 - 20:54

I wish I would have looked more closely at these images before I commented.

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summer April 13, 2009 - 20:57

these are photographed perfectly. they mix a funniness with a sadness that I connect with.

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