Strange magick

Strange magick by Natalie White, an exhibition of 15 large-format Polaroids presented in association with RK Art Advisory. The works will be available for private sale and on view from 5 November to 17 December 2026, in Los Angeles. White (b. 1988) has worked with the 20X24 Polaroid Land Camera since 2012 and in these never-before-seen works deepens her exploration of the enigmatic quality of the medium. Created in 2022 and 2023, the works in Strange magick were curated by Richard Kolosky of RK Art Advisory. These unique works were captured by one of the five promotional cameras built by the Polaroid company in the late 1970s, and developed on oversized sheets of peel-apart film, a depleting stock of which White keeps under climate-controlled conditions. “The finished Polaroids will last forever, but the film at the heart of my practice will not,” White said. “There is something deeply meaningful and bittersweet about presenting ‘Strange Magick’ at this moment, as the remaining supply of film nears its end.” This presentation coincides with notable recent auction results for White, a gratifying market moment for an artist who began her career as the muse for blue chip masters of the male gaze. In the last two years, four works by White have sold for at least three times their high estimate. Through the application of double exposure, White’s ethereal self-portraits are composed of overlapping faces and hands at varied levels of focus and bathed in psychedelic hues reminiscent of Chelsea girls (1966) by Polaroid enthusiast Andy Warhol. If a photograph typically freezes a single moment in a single place, her images seem to bend time and space. “Phillips has long been committed to championing artists who are creating meaningful and distinctive work today, and Natalie White exemplifies that spirit,” said Blake Koh, Phillips’ Regional Director for Los Angeles. Strange magick showcases a body of work that is both technically remarkable and deeply personal, pushing the possibilities of a historic medium while exploring themes of identity, perception, and transformation. We are delighted to present this exhibition in Los Angeles and to introduce collectors to these one-of-a-kind photographs.” The works in Los Angeles will be shown alongside an original short film directed by Karla Braun and conceived by Kolosky as an integral part of the exhibition. Featuring White in her studio, the film offers an intimate look at her creative process.