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A childhood is filled with fairy tales, be they classic fairy tales, such as Cinderella, Snow White, The Sleeping Beauty, or a traditional story like Racheltjie de Beer. The charming qualities of fairy tales do not just hold appeal for children; adults are captivated by these enchanting stories as well. From beautiful creatures like fairies, sprites or princesses to notions such as “once upon a time” and “happily ever after”, these fantasy bed-time stories have led to the creation of many products, fashions, campaigns and events inspired by their qualities. This essay will briefly discuss the history of fairy tales; how fairy tales have influenced fantasy, and why designers use fairy tale stories to create products. The subject of this essay is photographers using fashion to create fantasy in a photographic narrative. Therefore, the work of photographers, Julia Margaret Cameron, Eleanor Antin , Anna Gaskell, Miwa Yanagi and Annie Leibovitz will be discussed; and their work will be analysed to see how each has gone to work to create fantasy within a photograph. A fairy tale is a fictional story that may feature folkloric characters, such as fairies, princesses, goblins, giants and talking animals, and it is often enhanced by involving an unlikely sequence of events (Kerven, 2008:7). Fairy tales can be found in oral folktales and in literature. As only the written form of fairy tales can survive, it is difficult to trace the starting point and history of fairy tales. The oldest known written fairy tales date back to 1300 BC, proving that fairy tales existed thousands of years ago, although not perhaps recognised at that time as a distinctive genre (Kerven, 2008:7). At first, fairy tales were intended for an adult audience, and not really for children. Following the first editions of the books by The Brothers Grimm there was much controversy, although titled Children’s and Household Tales (1812), many felt that some of the stories were not appropriate for children (Kerven, 2008:7). Attebery (1980: 89) explains that The Brothers Grimm were among the first to try to preserve the features of oral tales, yet the stories printed under the
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Grimm name have been considerably reworked to fit the written form. They also attempted to preserve not only the plot and the characters of the tale, but also the style in which they were presented. Although literature, and later also illustration, was the primary medium for the fairy-tale genre, more recent mediums, such as theatre, performance, fine art, film and photography have developed new approaches to envisage fantasy. Fairy tales and fantasy are doubtlessly generically related, and it may even be argued that fantasy grows out of fairy tales, but their origins differ. Fairy tales have their roots in ancient societies, folklore and literature, while fantasy literature is a modern phenomenon. Although they may differ in origin and have different meanings in literature, when looking at their general characteristics, there is a clear indication of the association between fantasy and fairy tales (Nikolajera, 2005: ¶ 2). A fantasy is a situation imagined by an individual or group, which does not correspond with reality, but expresses certain desires or aims of its creator. Fantasies typically involve situations that are impossible or that display highly unlikely events; while, a fairy tale is an interesting but highly implausible story, often featuring folkloric characters, such as fairies, princesses, goblins, elves, trolls, giants or similar fantastic characters. Therefore, one may say that they are similar. Sarah Hand (n.d.: 2) explains that, “fantasy, historically found expression through fairy tales, mythology and allegory; and the use of costumes and masquerades played a significant part in helping individuals identify with icons, role models, and characters in these genres”. It has become clear that some fairy tales use fashion as the essence of the story. Maxfield Parrish (2009: ¶ 1) refers to Charles Perrault’s story Cendrillion ou la petite pantoufle de verre (Cinderella or The Glass Slipper), to explain this phenomenon. Perrault served in various official capacities in the government of Louis XIV, which resulted in him finding inspiration from actual events and persons of the 3
court. This would ensure that he would have been familiar with the everchanging fashion trends of the court. Cinderella may be described as a fairy tale about high fashion. This can be seen in the way he describes the stepsisters (Parrish, 2009: ¶ 2 –6). “For my part,” said the eldest, “I will wear my red velvet suit with French trimmings.” “And I,” said the youngest, “shall have my usual petticoat; but then, to make amends for that, I will put on my gold-flowered cloak, and my diamond stomacher, which is far from being the most ordinary one in the world.”
This statement by Parrish proves that in this story, fashion played a fundamental role in creating a fairy-tale scenario. One may say, that since the dawn of the needle-and-thread fashion, designers have been in love with the whimsical qualities of fairy tales. John Galliano’s newest project shows that there is no end to this fascination. The creative genius behind Dior used the story of Cinderella as his muse to market the brand’s latest fragrance, Midnight Poison (Fig.1). “Today, John Galliano’s vision brings forth a modern Cinderella,” the company said, “a contemporary heroine who lives out her most spectacular desires. A spell-binding appearance, a seductive woman who embodies femininity in its most creative form, eternally re-inventing itself. When the clock strikes midnight, everything starts” (Bonilla, 2008: ¶ 2). The trend continues, as Hollywood star Naomi Watts is used as the face of Thierry Mugler’s Angel perfume campaign. The academy-award winner, director Bill Condon, was used for directing the commercial for Angel (Fig.2). He shows Naomi Watts looking like a princess, catching a wishing star that is the Angel perfume.
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Fig.1
Fig.2
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Also, Paris Hilton keeps the intrigue with fairy tales alive with the advertising campaign for her new fragrance, Fairy Dust (Fig.3). In 2009, fairy tales were also the inspiration for dresses created by Dolce and Gabbana, Giorgio Armani and John Galliano. Advertising companies are making more use of classic fairy tales when creating advertisements. Koh (2010: ¶ 1), a graphic and web designer, explains why: “Creative ads are always interesting to look at as they alter the customers’ relationship with what is being advertised. Selecting an image or theme that can relate to our existing knowledge, will help an ad in staying memorable and easily recalled; and fairy tales are one of the best choices around.” Another reason why advertising companies are using fairy tales is that they have endured the test of time, because they provide a form of escapism. Sarah Zhang (2008: ¶ 9) says that the central character often displays positive, human qualities, so we can connect with them; fairy tales preach the right thing to do, the morals and the values. The combination of fashion with photography creates visual fantasy. The photographers, Julia Margaret Cameron, Eleanor Antin, Anna Gaskell, Miwa Yanagi, and Annie Leibovitz have all constructed a photographic narrative by using fashion as the character signifier. Their work is themed around the concepts of fantasy. Fashion plays a fundamental role in their work, in that it depicts a resemblance and a familiarity, with classic fairy tales. Usually, it is
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the costume and dress within the image with which the viewer makes the first instinctive association. The photographers are not replicating historical costumes, but are rather using the available dress of their time creatively. Although clothing plays a big part in their images, these photographers had to make use of other methods to enhance the fantasy aspect within their images. Julia Margaret Cameron can be seen as the creator of fantasy within a photographic context. Her work is not modern, but her own personal approach for her time. Today, she is acknowledged for her different approach; photographers from that period were after sharper focus, whereas the work of Cameron appeared to be blurred and had a softer focus, due to the fact that she photographed groups at a time, and needed longer exposures. She also had scratches and marks on her plates, but this with soft blurred images helped create the magical appearance her work has today (Crox, & Ford, 2003:434). Julia Margaret Cameron (1815 – 1879), a pioneer Victorian photographer was one of the first photographers to explore fantasy through fashion and roleplay. Cameron’s subjects were women, children, well-known men, and closer to the end of her career, illustrations (Crox, & Ford, 2003:434). Cameron’s illustrations have a wide range of origin. This shows her love for and knowledge of literature. She found inspiration from her neighbour and close friend, Alfred Tennyson, also from Elizabethan poets, plays by Shakespeare and novels, plays and poems of her contemporaries, George Eliot, Robert Browning, Christina Rossetti and Henry Taylor (Crox, & Ford, 2003:434).
In 1874, Cameron’s long-time friend and also her neighbour Alfred Tennyson asked Cameron if she would make some illustrations for a new twelve-volume “People’s”, or Cabinet edition of his popular series of poems on Arthurian legends, Idylls of the King (Crox, & Ford, 2003:467).
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Cameron draped her models in swathes of cloth, thus accentuating their appearance as being mythical, literary and Biblical characters. She created a series of 1tableaux vivant using static costumed figures to represent scenes from key moments in legends. It is obvious that Cameron went to considerable lengths to find the right models. They had to be able to represent knights, damsels and legendary figures. Although, she often made use of an equal cast of well-known Victorians, domestic staff, family and friends, she also often
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had to pay for the right models, settings and props that had to be rented. It was an expensive and time-consuming process (Crox, & Ford, 2003:467). Although known today as a pioneer photographer, Cameron only received recognition for her work late in the twentieth century. Throughout her lifetime a constant remark was that her portraits were “extraordinary artistic achievements”, but her groups and illustrations were “considerably inferior, even laughable” (Crox, & Ford, 2003:433). George B. Shaw, after reviewing an exhibition of Cameron’s work ten years after her death wrote: “ While the portraits of Herschel, Tennyson and Carlyle beat hollow anything I have ever seen, right on the same wall, and virtually in the same frame, there are photographs of children with no clothes on, or else the underclothes by ways of propriety, with palpably paper wings, most inartistically grouped and artlessly labelled as angels, saints or fairies” (Crox & Ford, 2003:433).
Helmut Gernsheim’s 1948 monograph also praised her portrait work only, but when evaluating her illustrations, said that they were “affected, ludicrous and amateurish, and must on the whole be condemned as failures from an aesthetic standpoint” (Crox & Ford. 2003:433).
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Tableau vivant is French for "living picture." The term describes a striking group of suitably costumed actors or artist's models, carefully posed and often theatrically lit. Throughout the duration of the display, the people shown do not speak or move.
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In the 1970s, this view began to change, Cameron’s work was re-assessed, and her own reputation along with such once-great names of Victorian painters, as Lawrence Alma-Tadema, Edwin Landseer, Frederic Leighton, John W. Waterhouse and George F. Watts were restored (Crox & Ford, 2003:433). Although criticised in her time, she has inspired many modern fantasy photographers. Fantasy within a photograph can be achieved by a number of ways, such as clothing, dramatically staged settings, using a cinematic approach, which entitles the use of artificial lighting, framing, unusual viewing angles, close-up cropping, strong contrasts, saturated colours or just using black and white. The contemporary photographers Antin, Gaskell, Yanagi and Leibovitz used these alternative methods to enhance the fantasy quality within their images. Yanagi’s approach also deals with the social roles women play in society, while Leibovitz, on the other hand, makes use of actors, models, singers and sports stars of our time – to create a 21st century interpretation of classic fairy tales. By combining fashion with these alternative methods, fantasy imagery is created. Born in New York City in 1935, Eleanor Antin is a conceptual photographer and filmmaker whose use of costume adds a fantasy dimension to her lavish reconstructions of Roman stage sets. Like the work of Cameron 140 years before her, she too creates fantasy tableaux vivant through photography, using a combination of costumes and role-play (Hand, n.d.: 5). Antin finds her inspiration from history; whether it is from ancient Rome, the Crimean War, the salons of nineteenth-century Europe, or even her own Jewish heritage and Yiddish culture. Antin’s love of historical narratives allows her to indulge in her own fantasies. In an interview with Art: 21, Antin explains this phenomenon: “I've got this love affair with the past. When I was a kid I wanted to have been an ancient Greek…. You can find anything you want by going back to the past. You don’t even have to look. The metaphors start erupting all over the place. I've
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always loved the past because of the relations that I could make as an artist with the present” (Art: 21, 2007: ¶ 1 & 5).
Antin’s two series, The Last Days in Pompeii (2001) and Helen’s Odyssey (Helen of Troy) (2007), are both based on Roman history. In her series, The Last Days of Pompeii, Antin constructs her elaborate stage in the wealthy hills of La Jolla, California. It was chosen to show the catastrophic days of Pompeii. Antin explained the process of making this series in an interview with Art:21. The Last Days of Pompeii is a photographic series. The difficulty Antin had with such a series was having to direct a whole cast of actors placed in another historical period, that dealt with art, theatricality, and with what she thought of her present-day situation (Art: 21, 2007: ¶ 7). Essential to Antin’s fantasy narrative is fashion. Different from the work of Cameron, her models act out costume dramas in spectacular staged settings. These are constructed out of a mixture of the old and the new, to give an historical yet contemporary feel. This is visible in Antin’s series of The Tourists (Hand, n.d.: 5). The Tourists (2007) (Fig. 5) is a modern interpretation of one of the images from the series Helen’s Odyssey, depicting two individual personas of Helen of Troy. It appears they are wandering to a shopping mall, or to a beach. The models are wearing sunglasses and carrying modern Fig. 5
baskets/handbags, as
they stroll along disregarding the misfortune surrounding them. Their simple brightly coloured dresses, and their cheerful expressions, are in sharp 9
contrast to the wounded half-naked Trojan warriors that they pass by (Hand, n.d.: 6). Hand (n.d.: 6) explains that Antin’s choice of title for this piece adds irony and humour, “it shows the reflection of the way that tourists are visitors in time and space, but only consume the veneer of the locations they visit”. Antin, along with Cameron, did not attempt to replicate historical costumes, but rather wanted to creatively use available dress. Although her settings are more lavish than Cameron’s, she still relies on costumes to supply narrative context and to demonstrate that they are historical fantasies re-enacted on a contemporary stage (Hand, n.d.: 6). The photographers, Anna Gaskell and Miwa Yanagi, continue from the mythological and historical photo-narratives of Julia Margaret Cameron and Eleanor Antin. Fairy tales are the underpinning narrative in their work. Although the work of Gaskell and Yanagi does not rely as heavily on costume, due to the integral styling of each character, the characters are instantly recognizable in the way they portray the disturbing side of classical fairy tales. The work of Gaskell, Yanagi, Cameron and Antin all differ from each other, yet they all share characteristics. Yanagi’s staged settings compare with the complexity of Antin’s Roman allegories – in the way they assist and contextualise the narrative. In contrast, the simplicity of Gaskell’s series Wonder, compares with that of Cameron’s. They both rely on the use of costume, along with facial expression and body language to convey the narrative. Yanagi’s and Gaskell’s photo-narratives are similar to one another, in that they depict the disturbing and eerie aspects of fairy tales (Hand, n.d.: 7). Like Cameron and Antin, both practitioners have adopted the technique of photo-narrative tableaux, and it is apparent to which fairy tales they refer.
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In the work of Anna Gaskell, a different kind of fantasy world is illustrated. Her photographic series Wonder and Override is a re-interpretation of Lewis Carroll’s Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland (1865). Gregos (n.d.:¶ 1) explains that these series (Wonder and Override) are separated from the fictional reference and that there, “lurks a disturbing sub-text often with sadistic overtones that centres around notions of childhood identity and transformation, the transition from innocence to experience, naiveté to knowing; suppressed eroticism and sexual awakening, on the other hand, are expressed through images of the fractured body”.
Gaskell achieved this by dressing her teenage models in similar clothing to the classic dress worn by Alice in Wonderland, with which we associate innocence. It is this choice of Fig. 6
Fig. 7
garment on an older
Alice that adds the sexual tension (Hand, n.d: 8). It seems Gaskell takes a cinematic approach towards photographing these series. She uses artificial lighting, the framing of action, unusual viewing angles, close-up cropping of violent scenes and a strong contrast of shadows and light, with saturated colours to create a series that is intimidating, creating claustrophobic spaces (Gregos, n.d: 1), (Hand, n.d: 8). Gaskell's work does not rely on specific narrative, but rather on a series of suggestive 'actions'. Her work is based on implication rather than description. Although Gaskell makes use of saturated colour, whilst Yanagi creates her reenactments in black and white, both photographers work results in images that are equally striking and disturbing.
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Over her relatively short but impressive career, Miwa Yanagi has produced three distinct series, Elevator Girls, My Grandmothers and Fairy Tale. These series explore themes related to the roles of women in Japanese society, yet they reflect typical concerns of women in general. Mixing fantasy and reality, Yanagi creates gripping visions using theatrical staging and mesmerizing colour. Anne Tucker (n.d:2), Curator of the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, states in her article, Three Views / One Eye: Miwa Yanagi’s perceptions of women: “Yanagi has given considerable thought to the status of women and the complex history of feminism in Japan; she embeds levels of meaning in her art relative to specific women’s issues in Japan. Therefore, Japanese audiences are likely to understand best the layers and subtleties of the first two series, but the worldwide exhibition and publication of Yanagi’s work proves that viewers from other cultures also find the pictures challenging and engaging.”
In Yanagi’s first two series (Elevator Girls and My Grandmothers) she deals with issues common to Japanese culture; but in her third series, Fairy Tale, she steps closer to a universal base of understanding by building on wellloved fairy tales written by Western writers (Tucker, n.d: 2).
Yanagi, like many children worldwide, read fairytales in her childhood. Part of their appeal to her now is that they are time-tested and universal, which makes their stereotypes also time-tested and universal. Yanagi has chosen stories for this series that focus on the two extremes of female age, but exclude middle-age. She re-invents the stories by confusing distinctions between youth and age (Tucker, n.d: 2). Fig. 8
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Girls between the ages of ten and twelve were used to portray both old and young. A mask identifies the girls who portray the elderly; these masks have features, such as wrinkled skin and a hooked nose like a witch. Yanagi made no attempt to hide the girl’s “youthful bodies” (Tucker, n.d: 2). True to any traditional fairy tale, there is an obvious princess. In Yanagi’s Fairy Tale series, she takes the role of fate and decides who is innocent and who is evil. Neither girl is thus the princess. These photographs are edgier and not as seductive as her earlier work. The black-and-white photographs are at times violent and creepy. A handsome man or prince does not save the princess from the danger. The fairy-tale heroines are cunning, but few seem wise. Having escaped magic and the clarity of stereotypes, the girls in these obviously staged environments nevertheless maintain an element of fleshand-blood vulnerability and complexity (Tucker, n.d: 3). Miley Cyrus’s photographs aren’t the latest images taken by photographer Annie Leibovitz to stir up controversy. This world-renowned photographer has been taking legendary photographs of celebrities for four decades. Leibovitz’s work is outrageous, controversial and iconic. Leibovitz is known for capturing the true essence of a person, and this can be seen in her work. She is best known for legendary images, such as Yoko Ono and John Lennon (1980). This was taken for the cover of Rolling Stones on the morning of December 8, 1980. It was one of the last images of Lennon before he was assassinated later that afternoon. Leibovitz (2008:63) said that after the success of John and Yoko’s Rolling Stones cover, she felt that it was important to try to keep up that kind of intensity. She achieved the same controversy with her photographs of nude and pregnant Demi Moore (1991) on the cover of Vaniry Fair; some loved it, while others criticised it. It is her ability to capture the true essence of the individual, and in this case, the character that Disney had asked Leibovitz to work on the Dream Portrait Series, an advertisement campaign for Walt Disney, illustrating fairy tale
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characters. Leibovitz used characteristics of all the photographers mentioned above. Her images can be seen as true interpretations of modern fairy tales, as we presently know them. She makes use of costumes that create fantasy photography– narratives. Not only does she use costumes to illustrate her stories, but the props and the settings she places her models in, make a big contribution in creating the fantasy. She Fig. 9
uses famous characters,
models, actors, singer’s and suchlike to create a modern 21st century interpretation of classical fairy tales. Unlike the other photographers, Leibovitz makes use of modern technology. Where possible, she photographs her characters on location, but many of the characters were shot in a studio environment – and then digitally inserted into marvellous settings (Leibovitz, 2008: pg. 127 – 135). In the end, it is clear that people have tried to preserve fairy tales from as early as 1300 BC, and not long after the birth of photography people were trying to capture and interpret the qualities that fairy tales have onto a flat surface. Fairy tales have endured the test of time, and therefore one can relate and identify central characters with each individual story. As fairy tales were told over the generations and have spread from one country to another, many different variations have appeared. People have adapted these tales to be of interest or compliable to their culture over the years. The same applies to the way every photographer has interpreted their own version of a classic fairy tale. Each photographer has used fashion as the key aspect for creating fantasy within an image. In its essence, the core is the same, but each photographer has made use of other methods to enhance the fantasy aspect 14
within their images. As technology develops further, new ways will be found to create fantasy imagery. Consequently, fairytales are open for new interpretations and representations by each individual.
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Reference list Attebery, B. 1980. The fantasy traditions in American literature. Boston: Twayne Publishers Art 21. Eleanor Antin. Retrieved on 26 August from http://www.pbs.org/art21/artists/antin/index.html Brooklyn Museum. Feminist Art Base: Eleanor Antin. Retrieved on 2 June 2010 from http://www.brooklynmuseum.org/eascfa/feminist_art_base/archive/cvs/395.pdf Bonilla, J.C. Dior’s Fairy Tale Inspiration – Midnight Poison Muse, A Modern Cinderella. Retrieved on 8 November 2010 from http://www.trendhunter.com/trends/Dior's Fairytale Inspiration - Midnight Poison Muse, A Contemporary Cinderella (VIDEO).mht Cox, J. 2003. Julia Margaret Cameron: The complete photographs. London: Thames & Hudson Gregos. K. Anna Gaskell. Retrieved on 3 August 2010 from http://www.postmedia.net/999/gaskellb.htm Hand, S. n.d. From Cameron to Convergence: photo-narrative with fantasy and role-play. Kerven, R. 2008. English fairy tales and legends. Great Britain: National Trust Koh, J. 44 Creative ads inspired by our favourite fairy tales. Retrieved on 4 June 2010 from http://10steps.sg/inspirations/artworks/44-creative-adsinspired-by-favorite-fairy-tales
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Leibovitz, A. 2008. Annie Leibovitz at work. New York: Random House Nikolajeva, M. Fantasy literature and fairy tales. Retrieved on 2 June 2010 from http://www.answers.com/library/Fairy+Tale+Companion-cid-14590968 Parrish, M. Fairy tales and fashion: The princess wore Prada. Retrieved on 29 April 2010 from http://artpassions.wordpress.com/2009/08/02/fairy-tales-andfashion-the-princess-wore-prada Tucker, A. n.d. Three Views / One Eye: Miwa Yanagi’s perceptions of women. The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston Zhang. S. Why do we need/like fairy tales? Retrieved on 8 November 2010 from http://www.englishonline.org.cn/en/
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Reading list Example Essays. Purpose of Fairy Tales. Retrieved on 2 June 2010 from https://www.mysecurepayment.com/research/order.php?AffiliateID=examplee ssays Fashion Shops. S/S Fashion 2009: Fairy Tale Inspired Dresses. Retrieved on 4 June 2010 from http://en.wordpress.com/tag/2009-spring-summercollection/ Ledesma, D. Fairy tales in fantasy. Retrieved on 2 June 2010 from http://www.suite101.com/profile.cfm/Freedomstar Leibovitz, A. 1991. Annie Leibovitz: Photography. New York. N.Y.: Harper Collins Novak, J. Melanie Pullen – Fine Art Association. Retrieved on 2 June 2010 from http://www.fada.com/jonathan_novak_contemporary_art.html Trendhunter Magazine. Scary tale Photography: Miwa Yanagi’s “Fairy tale” series. Retrieved on 2 June 2010 from http://Scarytale Photography - Miwa Yanagi’s ‘Fairy tales’ Series Will Keep You Up At Nigh (GALLERY).mht
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List of figures Figure 1: Paris Hilton, Fairy Dust, retrieved on 4 July 2010 from http://www.mimifroufrou.com/scentedsalamander/2008/09/paris_hilton_fairy_d ust_ad_sce.html Figure 2: Thierry Mugler, Angel, retrieved on 4 July 2010 from www.trendhunter.com/trends/romantic-commercia... Figure 3: Dior, Midnight Poison, retrieved on 4 July 2010 from http://www.mimifroufrou.com/scentedsalamander/2008/01/ Figure 4: Julia Margaret Cameron, Painting of Sir Lancelot and Guinevere, retrieved on 27 May 2010 from http://melbourneblogger.blogspot.com/2009/10/julia-cameron-lord-tennysonand-isle-of.html Figure 5: Eleanor Antin, The tourist, retrieved on 29 May 2010 from http://www.artnet.com/artwork/425429795/373/eleanor-antin-the-tourists-fromhelens-odyssey.html Figure 6: Anna Gaskell, Untitled 3 from series: Wonder, retrieved on 29 May 2010 from http://upperplayground.com/wordpress/?s&paged=249 Figure 7: Anna Gaskell, Untitled 26 from the series: override, retrieved on 29 May 2010 from http://upperplayground.com/wordpress/?s&paged=249 Figure 8: from Miwa Yanagi, Rapunzel from the series: the incredible tale of the innocent old lady and the heartless young girl, retrieved on 5 June 2010 from http://www.community.db.com/htm/yanagi.html Figure 9: Annie Leibovitz, Cinderella for Walt Disney, Retrieved on 5 June 2010 from http://swaleff.wordpress.com/2009/08/page/2/
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