Ballroom Harry: Volume II picks up Goaz’s trail as he’s re-emerged to work with David Lynch on Twin Peaks: The Return and reclaim the life of a working actor, sometimes with less-than-glamorous trappings. Goaz, who’s not only an avid photographer but also a consummate observer, has an innate ability to disappear in the room. But even as those who surround him let their guard down, his photos often obscure the obvious target, adding a charge to the moment. You’re never quite sure if Goaz is alone waiting for a car to be repaired or he’s sitting next to an international celebrity having toast. The photos represent Harry’s own cool demeanor and sense of humor. He’s not showy or bragging about who he’s hanging out with or who he knows, likely the very reason he’s there to begin with. These photos are in direct opposition to the desperation that soaks today’s social media, and instead project a minimalistic calm that has something electric just out of view. Goaz has a really juicy story to tell you, but like a true Southern gentleman he’ll save it for another time or skip it all together.
This tension is spread throughout the deceivingly simple frames of his work, like a peek into someone’s medicine cabinet when they’re out of town. This first collection follows Goaz’s journey back to the role of Deputy Andy and a reassessment of his relationship with the character, along with a reunion of old friends, often for the first time in decades. The coy subtitles on each of the photos speak to Goaz’s own playful nature and a subtle abstraction to a direct answer. Much like his apprehension to do a normal interview, he has little interest in explaining why he finds an image interesting, or why Roger Daltrey’s shoes were a better photo than the icon himself. These snapshots, further contextualized in most cases by the immediacy of the iPhone, are a mirror to the man himself more than anything he might say. Lost inside this enigma, the viewer begins to understand why so many attempt to unwind his persona, all while Goaz remains happily elusive.
BALLROOM HARRY: VOLUME II is a Talented Friends production offered by Deep Vellum Books 2019
