Photographer Shanna Allyn’s work examines women’s personas through portraits that are awkwardly edgy and surreally provocative. -Gamut Gallery
St. Paul-based Shanna Allyns portrait “Black” plays with the concept of the color racially, texturally and materially speaking. A black woman wears a black cushion around her neck, with black pins poking out of it against a black, textured background.
-St
ar Tribune
The girl with an egg in her mouth is the first image by Allyn that I remember taking note of. This is truly a series that I feel should be viewed as a series, however. First I saw the egg, then the penny mask, the wigs, on their own each image left me confused. Once viewed as a group I am left curious-an important distinction. I don’t think Allyn could have picked two better words to describe this series: “Strange Beautiful.” We reached out to her to learn more about these images and how they came about. Allyn’s photographs are not the kind we typically see here at National Geographic but they certainly stopped us in our tracks by daring to be different. We love the quirk and the way these made us furrow our brows. They are truly strange, and truly beautiful.
-National Geographic
”Her photos convince the viewer of vulnerability through spectacles of gallows humor or black comedy. Whimsical, energetic, revealing and at times, distraught.” -Spyhouse
NORSEMAN DISTILLERY
Her pictures incorporate props into her portraits, making for cool images that often include extra playful or ironic depth. Modern Mona Lisas: the strange, beautiful work of Shanna Allyn
Photographer Shanna Allyn’s deadpan work showcases natural women amongst jarring, postmodern props.
—The Minnesota Daily
”Shanna Allyn’s photos are sometimes strange, but always beautiful.”
She has a way of bringing you into her world of strangeness all while having a chuckle with her photography that speaks for itself.” — Twin Cities Metro
