The model as artist and a forthcoming exhibition

on

Photographer: Frank Reinhold

I  have been thinking again about the model as artist 

Original photo by Talkingdrum. Postprocessing by Digital Dao





Following the acceptance of Michael Culhane's work for the forthcoming Dirty Show in Detroit - all sorted, the two photographs will be there, thanks to the help given by Mando with printing and framing - I got an email from Brenda O. urging me to submit work for Mirror Image an exhibition to be held in St Louis, MO, examining " the concept of the photograph being a mirror of its creator reflecting back their experiences, ideals, beliefs and invoking discourse".

I immediately wrote back, especially since I had just read the rude note forwarded to me, that I was only the model, not the photographer, so the work was not mine, not really. I got a response at once and I take the liberty of quoting from it:


"I don't shoot my own work either, for the most part I act as director of photography so when I do a shoot with a photographer if the images are specifically for my own use we sign an agreement that I have the copyright to certain images and then I can use them as my work. I still credit the photographer. I have even won photo contests that way...granted I'm not using famous photographers, for that it gets more complex when you are both known in your field...but this one photographer I worked with has now been published and another thru me won Image of the Decade from Women in Photography International....There is a great artist whose husband is a photographer and they collaborate all the time she also works with other photographers, her name is Joanna Frueh, you might want to look her up, she just recently won a lifetime achievement award from the Women's Caucus of Art. Keep me in the loop, you are truly lovely to look at, and clearly know your craft"


I did not know that art modelling had got that kind of recognition! And by art modelling I do not mean only art nude but also conceptual work, work in other words which has something to say and does not just involve the viewer stating blandly "oh her boobs are fantastic, I wish she was my girlfriend". If that is the only comment anyone's photographic work elicits does it not make you think that maybe THAT IS the message conveyed by the photograph, reflected back in the comment? Something to explore in another post...

Oh and if anyone wants to have more details about the Mirror Image exhibition, please get in touch.


(Photos modelled by Alex B)

Comments

  1. jochanaan23 January 2011 at 23:10

    As I've said many times, I look at this as a musician. Saying that a photograph is only the work of the photographer is equal to saying that a recording is the work only of the recording engineer. Those with such an attitude forget that, without models, there wouldn't be a picture--or it'd be a very different picture. And of course modeling is a performance; do they think models don't train their bodies like musicians, actors or dancers train theirs? Would you be so much in demand as a life model without your yoga and dance training?

    You know you're a performer and co-artist. What others say doesn't matter. End of story. :)

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment