LOVES

These two photos of Courtney Love feel so different from one another but were taken only moments apart. On the left is a woman whose state of being is exposed from head to toe. The cigarette dangling from crimson lips, the bandaid, the bandaged arm, the bright red lipstick-smeared fingers, the overall look of utter defiance. On the right stands the same woman, softer, almost angelic. The catchlight in her eyes giving her an air of old Hollywood glamour. I've always presented these photos as a diptych because they tell more of the story together than individually. This story actually began the previous day at the Gorge in George, Washington, which was the kickoff to Lollapalooza '95. It was the site of the infamous incident where Love allegedly took a swing at Kathleen Hanna, the singer of Bikini Kill. There are many theories about what actually happened between the two frontwomen that day, but I wasn't there so it's not for me to say. What I saw in Vancouver was just what you see here: a disheveled Courtney Love, unable to play her guitar because of an injured right arm. It was uncomfortable to watch but I'm glad I was there because this is still one of my favourite image pairings from my collection.