The woman as object of desire – a common cliché in the advertising industry. To the marketing of products, photographers erotisieren the female body. An exhibition examines the advertising aesthetics of the last decades.
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Sex Sells: women in advertising
Artistic or exaggerated erotic?
The brand Levi’s is not associated with elegant fashion. Christophe Gilbert for this photo of an extremely thin woman’s lap, douses himself with seductive color. The group exhibition, “Women on View” is dedicated to drawing the erotic from a female body in advertising photography from the 1940s to today.
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Sex Sells: women in advertising
Lewd Safari
Franco Rubartelli shot in the 1960s, many memorable photos for the Vogue magazine, including, in 1968, this picture of his second wife, Veruschka von Lehndorff in a dress by Yves Saint Laurent. Contrary to the former opinion, pictures like this began to the free spirit of the time, you will be sentenced today for the Objectification of the woman as well as for the colonialism, rooted in the Safari-style.
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Sex Sells: women in advertising
Sand and sun
What has that to do a perfume bottle with a sandy beach? Actually nothing, but in the advertising industry, this little bottle is the Symbol for a desirable life style –the tanned woman in a submissive Pose. This photo took Jean-Daniel Lorieuxs in the 1980s, when sexual imagery was used in the advertising stronger than ever.
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Sex Sells: women in advertising
Provocative Pose
A frequently used and often kritisiertes advertising subject is the Objectification of specific female body. In this display, an underwear brand from the year 1998 photographer Marino parisotto shows a liberally-dressed woman in a provocative Pose on a bed, while her face is completely covered.
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Sex Sells: women in advertising
Living the dream
A woman all dressed in Red – a color associated passion – keeps a classy candle holder in Hand. The photo of the German photographer Ellen von Unwerth is an example of contemporary advertising to capture more of a mood or a Lifestyle, to show instead of the product itself – in this case, vodka.
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Sex Sells: women in advertising
Sensual and shocking
The French photographer Guy Bourdin was one of the most famous photographers of the 20th century. Century. His pictures adorned the front pages of “Vogue”magazine and appeared in numerous commercials. Many of his photographs of women are sensual and shocking at the same time.
-
Sex Sells: women in advertising
Artistic or exaggerated erotic?
The brand Levi’s is not associated with elegant fashion. Christophe Gilbert for this photo of an extremely thin woman’s lap, douses himself with seductive color. The group exhibition, “Women on View” is dedicated to drawing the erotic from a female body in advertising photography from the 1940s to today.
-
Sex Sells: women in advertising
Lewd Safari
Franco Rubartelli shot in the 1960s, many memorable photos for the Vogue magazine, including, in 1968, this picture of his second wife, Veruschka von Lehndorff in a dress by Yves Saint Laurent. Contrary to the former opinion, pictures like this began to the free spirit of the time, you will be sentenced today for the Objectification of the woman as well as for the colonialism, rooted in the Safari-style.
-
Sex Sells: women in advertising
Sand and sun
What has that to do a perfume bottle with a sandy beach? Actually nothing, but in the advertising industry, this little bottle is the Symbol for a desirable life style –the tanned woman in a submissive Pose. This photo took Jean-Daniel Lorieuxs in the 1980s, when sexual imagery was used in the advertising stronger than ever.
-
Sex Sells: women in advertising
Provocative Pose
A frequently used and often kritisiertes advertising subject is the Objectification of specific female body. In this display, an underwear brand from the year 1998 photographer Marino parisotto shows a liberally-dressed woman in a provocative Pose on a bed, while her face is completely covered.
-
Sex Sells: women in advertising
Living the dream
A woman all dressed in Red – a color associated passion – keeps a classy candle holder in Hand. The photo of the German photographer Ellen von Unwerth is an example of contemporary advertising to capture more of a mood or a Lifestyle, to show instead of the product itself – in this case, vodka.
-
Sex Sells: women in advertising
Sensual and shocking
The French photographer Guy Bourdin was one of the most famous photographers of the 20th century. Century. His pictures adorned the front pages of “Vogue”magazine and appeared in numerous commercials. Many of his photographs of women are sensual and shocking at the same time.
“Sex Sells” is one of the oldest myths in the advertising industry. The group exhibition, “Women on View: the Aesthetics of Desire in Advertising” in the “gallery 36” in Berlin focuses on how the woman was portrayed over the decades in advertising.
To see photographs of some of the most well-known fashion and advertising photographers. The pictures are to illustrate the drawing the erotic from a female body in Western advertising and its influence on society is critical.
Neither the feminism of the 1970s, the debate around #MeToo were able to finish the drawing the erotic from a female body in advertising. From the early product advertising in the 1940s through to the Hyper-sexualized female forms in the 1990s: There are still scantily clad and unrealistically perfect female form on television and computer screens, billboards and the glossy pages of magazines.
The methods of the sexualised advertising
The sociologist Esther Loubradou published in conjunction with the exhibition, a study of the impact of sexualised advertising. Loubradou shows that attract attention, only works, if an ad gets a reaction of our brain. Sexualised advertising seems to meet all of these requirements, because it encourages emotional areas of the brain, taboos exceeds and basic needs responsive.
Photo by Christophe Gilbert for a campaign for Levi’s
Some of the photographs in the exhibition come from the world of fashion, but only. Other products, such as alcohol or perfume, make ads with women in provocative poses. Ads from to advertise explicitly for a product, much more of a feeling of life to sell you.
Nowadays, the Internet spread images in a rapid pace, and brands and advertisers are compelled to fight even harder for attention. This race has led to taboos, particularly in the world of fashion photography.
Photographers such as Terry Richardson, show women in poses that felt by many critics as perverse and exploitative. Richardson’s career collapsed in on itself, as the #MeToo-advent movement. Now the photographer of a series of sexual abuse allegations. Richardson, but also other photographers such as Mario Testino or Bruce Weber, you have added to the reputation of the fashion industry.
Feminism in advertising photography?
Women in the industry, like the German photographer Ellen von Unwerth, claims to have a feminist access to the theme: “The women in my paintings are always strong, even if they are sexy. My girls look self-confident. I’m trying to make you look as nice as possible, because every woman wants to be beautiful, sexy and powerful feeling.”
The #MeToo movement has brought over a year ago, a new discourse on gender justice. But this also can change the advertising world? A rethinking seems to be far away. Every third promotional image, which shows a woman, must be seen as sexualised.
The exhibition “Women on View: the Aesthetics of Desire in Advertising” is up to 27. To see April in the gallery 36 in Berlin.
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Ellen von Unwerth: Provocative fashion photography from three decadesMilk for Moss
“Strong Storytelling is definitely her signature style,” says Sebastien Plantin, curator of the exhibition “Ladyland” in the Opera Gallery in London. The Exhibition showcases the Supermodels of the 1990s, such as Kate Moss (pictured), Claudia Schiffer, and Naomi Campbell, in a playful, sensual shots that are unmistakably Ellen von Unwerth’s handwriting.
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Ellen von Unwerth: Provocative fashion photography from three decadesFrom Model to photographer
The 1954 born in Frankfurt Ellen von Unwerth lost her parents when she was a small child. A dramatic Start to life. With 20, her life changed dramatically when a photographer in Munich discovered and invited to pose in front of the camera. She moved to Paris and worked for ten years as a Model before she found her love for photography.
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Ellen von Unwerth: Provocative fashion photography from three decadesBreakthrough with Claudia Schiffer
In 1989, worked with von Unwerth just as a photographer for the British fashion designer Katharine Hamnett. In the same year, two significant forces in the fashion industry should come together. Ellen von Unwerth discovered Claudia Schiffer, and contributed greatly to bring your modeling career to the roll with the photos for the Guess campaign. Also of your own career, gave the Shooting a Kick.
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Ellen von Unwerth: Provocative fashion photography from three decadesBehind the mask: Nadja Auermann
“Your pictures are not only aesthetically beautiful, they are equally instructive because they Express a clever way of thinking about femininity. In creating images of the world women are alone, you are in control, you are self-confident and emancipated from men,” says Plantin, with reference to von Unwerth’s role within the #MeToo movement.
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Ellen von Unwerth: Provocative fashion photography from three decadesOn The Phone: Naomi Campbell
“I organize my shoots, such as movies. At first, I have a story in your head, which can be a mixture of inspiration, I can work with. That is, I write a little story, then I choose accordingly to the Models, a Location and a Crew. On the Set, I always work with music that fits the story,” says von Unwerth in the exhibition catalogue.
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Ellen von Unwerth: Provocative fashion photography from three decades“I love life”
Von Unwerth is known for authentic moments. She photographed simple, while the Models thought the Shooting would have to end. “My creative philosophy is pretty simple and includes everything I do: I love life and want to hold on to. I want to share it with the people, both now and with future generations.”
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Ellen von Unwerth: Provocative fashion photography from three decadesHaute Couture in the city Park
Von Unwerth of different places for inspiration. “I do that all the time photos and I am always thinking about new stories for my work,” says von Unwerth. “I am happy that I am inspired by so many different sources: art, cinema, music, fashion of course, but also, more generally, of people, of a street scene, Paparazzi pictures, and other things.”
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Ellen von Unwerth: Provocative fashion photography from three decadesSensual: Lindsey Wixson
“Originally there was a different title for the exhibition,” explains Plantin, who is curating the London Show. “But one day Ellen called me in one of your “Eureka moments”. In the dream, she had found the perfect name for the exhibition: “Ladyland”. He is emblematic of the wonders of the world that capture your photos.”
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Ellen von Unwerth: Provocative fashion photography from three decades“What was once provocative is now normal”
Von Unwerth has found that has changed the public opinion of the time. “The reactions of the people, their feelings have developed enormously in recent years,” she said. “What was provocative, and is today regarded as normal. As I photographed, for example, 30 years ago, two women kissing, were shocked the people.”
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Ellen von Unwerth: Provocative fashion photography from three decadesTree of love
Ellen von Unwerth Model was in front of the camera before moving behind the lens. This experience distinguishes her from her male colleagues, believes Plantin. “Sometimes the male photographers seem to female Models to patronize, while it seems to me to be with Ellen, as you have an equal, genuine, authentic access to the portrait.”