Fashion as Art by harrietdyer

FASHION AS ART

HARRIET DYER

PUBLISHED 2021 on ISSUU COPYRIGHT Â© HARRIET DYER 2021 USW CRITICAL CATALOGUE 2021 CARDIFF, UNITED KINGDOM FIRST EDITION

IRVING PENN, BLACK AND WHITE COVER, JEAN PATCHETT IN CHRISTIAN DIOR, 1950

CONTENTS FOREWORD THE FIRST FASHION PHOTOGRAPHS............ EDWARD STEICHEN....... BLACK AND WHITE..................................................... IRVING PENN....................... RICHARD AVEDON.......... DAVID BAILEY..................... C O L O U R.................................................................... SARAH MOON...................... ERIK MADIGAN HECK.... TIM WALKER...................................................................... ‘THE GARDEN OF EARTHLY DELIGHTS’..

DIFFERENT ART FORMS HAVE INFLUENCED FASHION PHOTOGRAPHY. WHAT EFFECT HAS THIS HAD? 2

FASHION PHOTOGRAPHY IS ONE OF THE MOST DIVERSE AND EVER-CHANGING GENRES OF THE ART FORM. As we

watch the seasons transition, we also observe the changing styles of the fashion world. Fashion photography has always not only captured these changes, but is able to elevate the clothing to something more than just a product to be sold. This is an exploration of how fashion photography is able to transcend the confines of advertisement, becoming a form of art capable of transporting the viewer to alternate realities and fantasy worlds. Taking influence from many mediums such as various art movements and photographic genres, paintings and illustrations to mythology and religion, fashion photographers throughout the 20th century have proven how fashion photography is so much more just purely selling. Rather, the clothes are often only just a part of larger dialogues. Photographyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s own growth, both technological and stylistic, has had a large influence over the techniques used to attain this. Working with these advances were the pioneers of such timeless early fashion photography; artists like Irving Penn and Richard Avedon graced the pages of high end fashion magazines such as Vogue and Harperâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Bazaar with their fantastical photos and paved the way for their contemporary counterparts. Using varying compositional elements such as block colours, textures, patterns and classic silhouettes, similar techniques reminiscent of art are repeated through history. Fashion photography, by mimicking other mediums and genres, is able to transform commercial advertising into an art form unto itself, where you see new worlds and appreciate textile design as art.

‘L’ART DE LA ROBE’, PAUL POIERET BY EDWARD STEICHEN, ART ET DECORATION, 1911

THE FIRST FASHION PHOTOGRAPHS 4

EDWARD STEICHEN PAUL POIRET ‘L’ART DE LA ROBE’ It gave life to fashion illustrations and that the origins of fashion photograbrought the viewer into a new world phy came from photographer Edward that had not been seen before, which Steichen and couture designer Paul is why these photographs are where Poiret, when shooting for a featured the foundations for fashion photogracollaboration in the 1911 issue of Art et phy were laid. Decoration. Steichen described these black and white photographs as “The first serious fashion photographs ever made,” (Steichen, 2012). The inspiration for this photo series originated from the work of two illustrators, who had previously drawn Poiret’s couture designs. Paul Iribe and Georges Lepape’s simplistic yet beautiful illustrations found in ‘Les Robes de Paul Poiret’ and ‘Les Choses de Paul Poiret vues par Georges Lepape’, display line drawings of elegant women in dress and sophisticated surroundings. Echoes of these visual elements are clearly noticeable in Steichen’s photography, demonstrating the -Edward Steichen, 2012 ability of different artistic mediums to prompt visual cues for photographers. IT IS WIDELY ACKNOWLEDGED

“The first serious fashion photographs ever made.”

The series is named ‘L’ART DE LA ROBE’, trospective, with an air of sophistication. In which translates as ‘THE ART OF DRESS’. both illustration and photograph, the women move around the frame, interacting with the space, props and other models around Immediately, this not only refers back to them. They look into mirrors, inspect their the illustrations but in itself demonstrates dress, or each others. The self-appreciating how the intention of the photograph is not gazes, mingled with over-shoulder glances just to sell the couture designs, but to celethat engage directly with the camera evokes brate them as part of an artistic form. This feelings of desire and intimacy between the is indicated through the compositions and viewer and model throughout the photo techniques used by Steichen, prompted by series. Described as “magnetic mannequins’’ visual cues from the couture illustrations. by fashion historian Cassidy Zachary (2015), “It is a romantic, enticing world in which you are pulled into the scene by their beauty Lepape has placed less emphasis on any specific detailing of the clothing and more on and sultry gazes. Steichen’s choice of lighting really elevates this moody atmosphere; the the mood, beauty, and emotions that their dim lighting gives a soft focus, achieving the presence evokes in their wearers.” (Cassiaforementioned dreamlike, romantic feel the dy Zachary, 2015) Steichen’s photographs illustrations captured. achieve the same effect. The photographs transport the viewer to hazy, low-lit rooms where luxuriously dressed women appear in-

“L’ART DE LA MODE” OR THE “ART OF DRESS” ARTICLE, ART ET DÉCORATION, APRIL 1911 7

“L’ART DE LA MODE” OR THE “ART OF DRESS” ARTICLE, ART ET DÉCORATION,

The photographic medium brings a physicality to the drawn world. The photographs become stories, snapshots of a world that we look in on as an audience. In this way, the photographs are not just about the dresses, they become about the world of the women wearing the dress. Steichen was able to create a world through the viewfinder for the clothes to exist in that did not just see them as objects to sell. They became art on the women, the longline silhouettes accentuated by the portrait format, textures and patterns contrasting or mimicking the wall-papered backgrounds. These bring attention to the clothing when needed; for example one photograph depicts a woman in a long cape advancing up a curved white staircase. The block of white becomes a blank canvas that contrasts the bold design, drawing our attention to it’s detail. This

photograph is imitative of one of Lepape’s illustrations, an art form brought to life by the camera. In another photograph, an intricate floral pattern covers the wall behind a model wearing a long dress of near identical fabric design. The camouflage effect this brings to the photograph not only shows the beauty in the design but brings a sense of intrigue and mystery to the photograph. This atmosphere brings us back to the idea of photographers beginning to create worlds that elevate the couture designs to a higher form of art. In addition, the translation of drawn composition to camera demonstrates how fashion photography uses an amalgamation of artistic forms to construct tangible worlds for couture to exist in.

‘L’ART DE LA ROBE’, PAUL POIERET BY EDWARD STEICHEN, ART ET DECORATION, 1911

Edward Steichen succeeded in producing the idea of a new world, not just selling the couture designs of Paul Poiret.

“Steichen successfully achieved this by allowing mood, atmosphere and artistic license to take precedent over sharply-focused, detailed depictions of the garments for blatant commercial purposes, as was the status quo in fashion photography at the time.” -Cassidy Zachary, 2015 The publication of ‘L’Art de la Robe’ is therefore the turning point in fashion photography being seen as an art form.

‘L’ART DE LA ROBE’, PAUL POIERET BY EDWARD STEICHEN, ART ET DECORATION, 1911

BLACK AND WHITE IRVING PENN RICHARD AVEDON DAVID BAILEY SOON AFTER STEICHEN’S SUCCESS WITH ‘L’ART DE LA ROBE’, he made his name in photography during the 1920s and 30s in New York. “Paris may have been the style capital of the world, but New York had established itself as fashion’s business centre.” (Ewing, Thames, 2008) This is not surprising, as American publisher Condé Nast had recently purchased and opened publication for Vogue in 1909, perhaps the most esteemed fashion magazine of all time. The first full time photographer for Vogue in 1914 and later for French Harper’s Bazaar, Baron Adolf de Meyer “was instrumental in shifting these publications away from fashion illustration to photography” (Tartsinis, 2019). In this landscape Steichen’s work flourished, as did that of his successors Richard Avedon, Irving Penn and David Bailey. Their iconic black and white fashion photography drew influence from the current art climate; photographic genres and art movements.

IRVING PENNâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S

long standing relationship with Vogue began in 1943, when art director Alexander Liberman encouraged him to photograph a still life for the October 1st cover after seeing his sketches for the art department. Penn had begun painting and sketching prior to his associate job at Vogue, and his still life cover is a testament to this. His colour palette is neutral in warm browns, and the lines and positioning of the objects in the frame also reflect his early graphite and watercolour sketches from 1939-42.

IRVING PENN, UNTITLED, GRAPHITE ON PAPER, 1939-42

IRVING PENN, GRAPHITE AND WATERCOLOUR ON PAPER, 1939-42

IRVING PENN, VOGUE COVER, OCTOBER 1ST 1943

Not only was Penn drawing inspiration from his own practical knowledge as an artist, but his explosive entrance onto the scene of couture fashion photography in 1950 expresses clearly how art movements influenced his work. The first black and white edition of Vogue since 1932, Penn’s photograph of Jean Patchett in Christian Dior is an iconic fashion photograph.

mond shapes made by her body and the Dior design (the kerchief and veil), reducing her to the essential lines and structure of the couture clothing. Penn’s clear-cut style of photographing gave couture designs attention to detail, allowing an appreciation for textile art that the busy narratives of other editorial photographs did not achieve. The clarity that modernism brought to Penn’s photography allowed the couture design to become an abstract work of art in the fashion world.

“These images were so new, so divorced from the current imaginative traditions that they were a revelation.”

- Alexander Liberman, shaw At the time, editorial photographers were exploiting the uses of theatrical lighting and heavy stylisation. In comparison, Irving Penn’s photographs of Patchett were simplistic. He drew technical influence from the art movement modernism, defined by the use of harsh lines, clean focus and high contrast. The model is stood squarely in front of the camera, all angles, sharp lines and symmetry with her hands on her hips. Most important to Penn was the “elegance of line and the grace of silhouette”, as evidenced here. The high tonal contrast gives a strong definition to the various diagonal, horizontal and dia-

IRVING PENN, BLACK AND WHITE COVER, JEAN PATCHETT IN CHRISTIAN DIOR, 1950 16

RICHARD AVEDON ‘DOVIMA WITH ELEPHANTS’ EVENING DRESS BY DIOR CIRQUE D’HIVER PARIS 1955 18

CIRQUE D’HIVER GICLEE PRINT, J BOICHARD

ACROSS THE SEA, 1950s Paris had become the stage for the theatrical works of fashion photographer Richard Avedon. Splashing dynamic photographs across the pages of Harper’s Bazaar, Avedon’s photographic style has a influenced by the extravagant worlds introduced to us by Steichen, and is an example of the editorial work that Irving Penn had departed from. So, what made his work so revelatory?

“Avedon viewed the making and production of photographs as a performance similar to literature and drama.” (Phillips, 2015) This was different to many photographers at the time. While other models were static mannequins in a studio, Avedon’s models moved with vitality through the streets, sharing with the audience visual fantasies of Paris. 19

The photograph ‘Dovima with Elephants’ taken at the Cirque d’Hiver for Harper’s Bazaar in 1955 is perhaps the most iconic example of Avedon’s ability to combine drama with fashion outside of a studio setting. Dovima poses in front of the elephants wearing an elegant evening dress; the first Dior designed by Yves Saint Laurent. The juxtaposition of the grand physique of the elephants against her slight figure emphasises the delicacy of the couture design and also brings a strong fantasy element to the photograph; almost ‘beauty and the beast’. Avedon froze Dovima’s sweeping gesture so her body was posed as a sinuous continuation of the curving elephant’s trunk, further highlighting her silhouette. The movement Dovima brought to the photograph is indicative of the models own love for performing arts, a passion that Avedon also shared. Described as “mental Siamese twins” by Dovima, this chemistry between model and photographer brought “dynamism and excitement” to the photograph. Using the Cirque d’Hiver as a stage for a dramatic show of Haute couture succeeded in providing audiences with an exciting yet romantic vision of Paris glamour. In these ways, the photograph is more than just an advertisement.

It “endures as an emblem of the power, beauty and mythology of fashion.” (Mooallem, 2017) and demonstrates why Richard Avedon was “widely credited with erasing the line between art and commercial.” (Richard Avedon Foundation)

RICHARD AVEDON, DOVIMA WITH ELEPHANTS, EVENING DRESS BY DIOR, CIRQUE D’HIVER, PARIS, 1955

Bailey’s famous off-guard photographs of his then girlfriend and model Jean Shrimpton are a representation of this fresh and free social revolution. Considered as “the symbol of Swinging London”, Shrimpton was photographed in the new styles of the movement by Bailey. In this famous photograph of her standing on Tower Bridge in 1961, the oversized jacket wrapped around Shrimpton is a portrayal of the “shabby chic, not elegant glamour” (Aenigma, 2021) that defined the designs of the decade. Her dishevelled, windswept hair and slightly parted lips are frozen in time, giving it the spontaneity of a documentary photograph. The combination of grain and colour palette of grey midtones softens the scene, giving it a sense of vulnerability and intimacy that is further elevated by the ‘snapshot’ feel Bailey was able to create. He stated “I photographed women the way I saw them on the streets. People could identify with Jean because I didn’t make her look like a stuffed shop mannequin.” (Bailey, British Fashion Council). This style was a far cry from the recently controlled and sophisticated fashion photographs produced. The relationship between photographer, model, and the documentary genre offered couture fashion to its audiences in a relatable, fresh and dynamic way, and further demonstrates its ability as a medium to adapt and convey new social landscapes artistically.

CAMAGUEY, CUBA, 1963, HENRI CARTIER-BRESSON

THE 1950S AND 60S HERALDED THE EMERGENCE OF A STYLISTIC REVOLUTION IN FASHION PHOTOGRAPHY. Photographers began to adopt a street documentary approach to fashion that was not dissimilar to the grainy black and white snapshots recorded by the early pioneers of the genre, such as Henri Cartier Bresson. What defined street documentary was the ability of the photographer to choose the “decisive moment” that captured their subject, often in motion. In fashion photography, this translated to models appearing natural and carefree, walking through both busy and empty streets. Photographs of this nature were presented in British Vogue by photographer David Bailey, who’s contract with the magazine began in 1960. This was a decade of major change in cultural ideas and arts such as fashion and music; London was the backdrop for this.

DAVID BAILEY, JEAN SHRIMPTON, 1961, TOWER BRIDGE 22

C O L O U R SARAHMOON ERIKMADIGAN HECK THE TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENT OF COLOUR FILM BROUGHT A BRIGHT AND VIVID TECHNICOLOUR WORLD TO THE READERS OF VOGUE AND HARPER’S BAZAAR. After Eastman Kodak co. formulated the first Kodachrome colour film in the early 1930s, Condé Nast pioneered colour photography in his magazines. Upon its introduction to commercial and advertising photography, the medium was met with backlash. “Colour is bullshit,”, said Henri Cartier Bresson (1959). Walter Evans: “Colour photography is vulgar.” (1959) Strong statements like this were the product of the opinion that only black and white photographic work was of artistic merit. Edward Steichen again was instrumental to the colour revolution with the first colour Vogue cover in 1932; Erwin Blumenfeld and Louise Dahl-Wolfe following his lead in Vogue and Harper’s Bazaar from 1935 onwards. The colour palettes were bright and often used in block contrast to bring attention to silhouettes of fashion designs, and painting broadened its influence on fashion photography through texture. The work of these photographers and their predecessors shows how colour photography is as much an art form as black and white.

Steichen and Impressionist painter Claude Monet influenced Moon. LEFT TO RIGHT: L’ART DE LA ROBE’, PAUL POIERET BY EDWARD STEICHEN, ART ET DECORATION, 1911 CAMILLE ON THE BEACH, CLAUDE MONET, 1870-1871

SARAH MOON BEGAN HER PHOTOGRAPHIC CAREER IN THE LATE 1960S WHEN THE SOCIAL ATMOSPHERE WAS STILL RIFE WITH THE FREEDOMS OF “SWINGING LONDON”. Different to other photographers at the time, Moon developed her own unique style that was far from the black and white street documentary and static fashion portraiture that was the norm. Her work has been defined as Impressionist, an art movement that originated from paintings characterised by quick brushstrokes to imply motion blur. Translated to the photographic medium, Moon’s photographs are “abstract in their painterly qualities” (Michael Hoppen, 2020) , capturing blurred subjects in muted colour palettes as they move through a shadowed world. This low-lit, moody atmosphere is reminiscent of Steichen’s first fashion photographs. 27

Moon describes how she achieves the signature style, “I have always worked in the shade, with low speed exposure. And often I do double exposure.” (O’Regan, 2018). This motion blur softens the forms of the subjects, giving an ethereal effect. The milky-white glow of the model’s skin and her smudged facial features appear ghostly against the sickly green and blue background, further adding to the feeling of otherworldliness. Contrasting lurid colours against strong silhouettes of black hats and dresses emphasises an appreciation of textile structure from the photographer: “I love the architecture of clothes.” (Moon, 2011). She further states “Colour forces me to be more abstract”(Michael Hoppen, 2020). Combined, these features bring definition to garment structure. The movement of models through the frame further allows the form and shape of the clothing to be recognised; skirts billow so their intricate pattern design is more noticeable, fabric textures feather and float. By cropping into

the frame or using hats, the models faces are not visible to the viewer, evoking a sense of mystery. Rather than focusing on identity, it allows the fashion designs to reign as the main focus of the photographs. Her technical use of chiaroscuro (the contrast of areas of light and darkness) allows these details of pattern and texture to pop, as seen in one photograph where the model jumps into light, highlighting the swirling movement of her red skirt. The Impressionist influence gives a fluidity and movement to her fashion photographs, “rather than fixed documents, they are more akin to fragments of memories, or dreams, a glimpse of fantasy.” (O’Regan, 2018). Moon paints with the camera to create romantic and melancholy worlds, their painted influence turning fashion advertisement into art as it sits between the realms of the real and the fantastical.

LEFT TO RIGHT: FASHION 10, NEW YORK TIMES, 1998, SARAH MOON FASHION 11, YOJI YAMAMOTO, 1996, SARAH MOON

LEFT TO RIGHT: LE CHAPEAU GRENAT, 2016, SARAH MOON AVRIL FOR VOGUE JAPAN, 2007, SARAH MOON

ERIK MADIGAN HECK “A painter who uses a camera,” (ROSEN)

Fashion photographer Erik Madigan Heck boldly uses colour, shape and pattern to create beautiful and striking pieces. His exquisite photographs of couture designs from the likes of Gucci and Fendi can be found in the glossy pages of Harper’s Bazaar and Vanity Fair. As an artist working in the current photographic landscape, his work demonstrates the ability of modern fashion photographers to still push the boundaries when engaging with different artistic influences.

NEUE GRAFIK, 1958-65

IN HIS PHOTO SERIES ‘DIE NEUE GRAFIK’, Heck applied the techniques of the modernist art movement to his photographs, much like Irving Penn before him. This work was influenced specifically by a 1950s Swiss graphic design journal, a celebration of European modernist art. Described as

“a movement away from naturalistic portrayal and toward the abstract and stylised”,

Heck shot in the studio, then overlaid the photograph with colour layers to bring the final “graphic element” (Heck, 2019) to the piece. The layering of colour is a technique reminiscent of modernist artists who used typography, a style of collage. His ability to flatten surfaces allows the viewer to absorb every line and detail of the clothing, and allows the structure of pieces to be appreciated.

(Heck, 2019)

the photographs and their contents are flattened into two-dimensional shapes, the use of block colour heightening this effect. This brings particular attention to the circular shapes of the hats and the silhouettes of the subjects; the outlines of their shape are highly contrasted and sharp. The unblemished colours and smooth textures in the photograph further reduce the subject to their simplest shape. To achieve this effect,

LEFT TO RIGHT: DIE NEUE GRAFIK, 2018, ERIK MADIGAN HECK DIE NEUE GRAFIK, 2019, ERIK MADIGAN HECK

When Erik Madigan Heck introduces his love for flamboyant patterns into his personal photographic style, the influence of French Impressionist painters such as Eduoard Vuillard is clear. Vuillard’s work is defined by differing bright patterns that almost merge subject and background together; a technique echoed in Heck’s pieces. These are two plates produced by Heck for Harper’s Bazaar. Notice he has an appreciation for naturally appearing patterns, such as the dotted repetition of flowers, as well as maintaining an eye for the graphic. The butterfly print cascades off the fabric of the cape into the vibrant, floral foliage and almost becomes one with the background. Colour palettes of dark green and blue hues practically melt together, and the texture of the leaves, petals and pattern is reminiscent of the dabs of a paintbrush. The butterfly pattern comes to life in this environment, demonstrating Heck’s strong attention to detail.

LAST PAGE: PLATE, SEPTEMBER 2014, HARPER’S BAZAAR, ERIK MADIGAN HECK

The striking monochrome florals captured by Heck in the February 2015 plate sees this technique repeated in a studio setting. Dressed entirely in contrasting versions of the same flower design, the two models become a curved, distinct shape, emphasised by the contrast of a smaller black and white background pattern. In both photographs, Heck uses

“layers of colour and exquisite patterns while simultaneously flattening the photographs by removing shadow and depth of field.”

(Rosen)

A repeating theme in his work is the removal of his model’s identity. Often the model is facing away from the camera or covered by large accessories-hats are often used. Heck says, “I don’t believe people are the most interesting part of a composition. In fact, I often think they take away from the rest of the image, especially in fashion.” (Yu, 2015) Combining this element with his extravagant, painterly use of colour and pattern brings all of the attention to the structures and intricate designs of the clothing, which is what makes his fashion photography into art. Gallerist Christopher Guye summarises Heck’s practice well: “What makes Erik Madigan Heck’s style absolutely unique is that his work oscillates between photography and painting on the one hand and between fashion photography and fine art on the other.” (Guye)

NEXT PAGE: PLATE, FEBRUARY 2015, HARPER’S BAZAAR, ERIK MADIGAN HECK

“What makes Erik Madigan Heck’s style absolutely unique is that his work oscillates between photography and painting on the one hand and between fashion photography and fine art on the other.”

- CHRISTOPHER GUYE, GALLERIST 40

TIM WALKER

TIM WALKER IS ONE OF THE MOST PREVALENT BRITISH FASHION PHOTOGRAPHERS; flick through Vogue, i-D or W magazine and you’ll glimpse his “photographic dreamscapes where art, fashion and fantasy collide.” His tendency to approach fashion photography in a theatrical and narrative way could be said to be inspired by iconic photographer, Richard Avendon, with whom he worked under tutelage. Each of his series depicts captivating, mythical worlds where stories of religion and mythology are acted out. Perhaps his most famous project, Tim Walker’s ‘The Garden of Earthly Delights’, commissioned by art collector Nicola Erni for LOVE magazine in Spring/Summer 2016 is an example of how far the boundaries of fashion photography can be pushed when combined with multiple artistic influences. Walker was told to “approach a whole world that you’ve never been able to approach in the fashion industry” (Walker, 2018), a feat he achieved.

‘THE GARDEN OF EARTHLY DELIGHTS’ 43

Based on the 16th century renaissance triptych painting by surrealist artist Heironymous Bosch, ‘The Garden of Earthly Delights’ photo series narrates the stories of good and evil previously written by paintbrush. The triptych depicts ‘The Fall of Man’, the familiar bible tale where the once lush Garden of Eden falls to sin and ruin after Adam and Eve give in to temptation. Walker captures a mix of heaven and hell, strange creatures, plants and people, and out of proportion objects to create a surreal, darkly whimsical living recreation. Elements of Bosch’s practice, like

“playing with proportion and illustrating darker narratives found within medieval Christian narratives” (Joy, 2019)

is something clearly echoed in Walker’s photographs.

HEIRYONYMUS BOSCH, GARDEN OF EARTHLY DELIGHTS, 1490-1510

NEXT PAGE: CIERRA SKYE, APPLES AND SERPENT REFLECTED IN MIRROR, THE GARDEN OF EARTHLY DELIGHTS, EGLINGHAM HALL, NORTHUMBERLAND, 2015

The series is defined by a continued use of lens distortion that captures the scene in a wide ‘fisheye effect’. This has the effect of elongating and twisting the limbs of the body and content of the frame, alienating features and turning models into something less human. Walker’s choice of models for this photo series was important to successfully reimagining the chaotically divine world. He wanted a “particularly ancient face that came from a painting, not a photograph.” (Walker, 2018). The “medieval faces” (Walker, 2018) peer out of the entrancing frames with wide, oval features and glossy skin, bringing an old and unearthly beauty reminiscent of the renaissance era painting. The appearance of model Cierra Skye in these photographs captured this essence. The body is also lengthened by the effect the curved lens has on the long, column-like structure of the Valentino cloaks, accentuating the ‘otherworldliness’. In this series, Valentino’s haute couture becomes part of a larger narrative that breathes rich contemporary detail into historical art and religion. Predominantly working with natural daylight, Walker introduces shadow and atmosphere, creating moody colour palettes in earthy and rich tones. The repeated dark greens and reds can be seen to refer to both the natural beauty of the Arcadian garden and also warns of it’s hidden dangers. This “ethereal darkness”, coupled with the play in proportion disrupts the fantasy and hints towards the more sinister side of the story.

Direct symbolism is also used to refer to the religious tale. In this photograph, the blatant nudity of the woman alludes to the moments after Eve bites the forbidden fruit-in this case, the luscious red apples arranged in the foreground. The snake twisting around her naked figure is obviously emblematic of the serpent or devil in ‘The Fall of Man.’ Both woman and serpent appear caught in a forward movement, as if they are going somewhere we cannot see. She looks over her shoulder through the mirror, almost asking you to come with her-you are almost tempted. Walker succeeds in evoking the key emotions ‘The Garden of Earthly Delights’ warn against. Enclosing this scene with a thick framed gold mirror directs the focus and is reminiscent of the style of framing used in the renaissance era Bosch’s painting originates. This is also achieved by a slight blur that surrounds the mirror; within the mirror is sharp and focused. Texture and colour are also very important in this photograph. The green crushed velvet and desaturated shadowy hues of green and blue contrast the vivid red of the apples, giving them visual importance. The muted gold mirror and crushed velvet indicate a faded luxury.

LEFT PAGE: CIERRA SKYE ON BOSCH HILLOCK IN VALENTINO CAPE: VALENTINO HAUTE COUTURE, A/W. THE GARDEN OF EARTHLY DELIGHTS, EGLINGHAM HALL, NORTHUMBERLAND 2015

The attention to stylistic detail is the product of huge collaborative effort on this series between photographer, models, stylists, garment designers and set designers. Shona Heath, long-time set designer for Walker, pays homage to the original painting with allegory and sculptural designs of oversized shells, glass orbs and abnormal plants. An important aspect of Walker’s work is for the models to be able to physically interact with material objects, this becoming the “something real within all that is unreal.” (Joy, 2019). This brings life and physicality to a fictional world previously only expressed on paper. The vast scale of production on this photo series is no less reflected in the size of the final exhibited prints. The large five by three metre photographs almost allow the audience to walk straight into these surreal landscapes, an effect which is heightened by the surrounding exhibition space filled with Shona Heath’s enchanting sculptures.

THIS PAGE: GLASS ORB, SHONA HEATH, THE GARDEN OF EARTHLY DELIGHTS, 2015 THE GARDEN OF EARTHLY DELIGHTS, EXHIBITION SPACE

By combining historical art with photography, fashion and full artistic production brings an exquisite physical dimension to the previously flat plateau of ‘The Garden of Earthly Delights’. This can be considered as the ultimate example of fashion photography as fine art. This fashion editorial transcends it’s advertisement function; Tim Walker re-contextualises a religious surrealist painting, giving deep contextual background and beautifully telling a story of “balanced tension of dark and light.” (Joy, 2019). Couture designs are appreciated in pattern design and structure, but they also become part of larger and more serious narratives, as expressed here. Over a hundred years on from Edward Steichen’s first fashion photographs, and fine art paintings persist to influence fashion photographers today.

Fashion photography has brought together two worlds in a dynamic, breathtaking way, creating timeless photographs that allows fashion garments to live past their season. The influence of the paintbrush has proved a constant companion to fashion photography throughout its history, bringing bold abstraction and soft enchantment to fully appreciate details of textile design. Haute couture is set itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s own theatrical stage when the vivacious life and physicality of set design, location and props spill from a painted influence. The multi-faceted and complex mixtures of fine art, photography, drama, set design merge together to create photographs that are more than just advertisements. Fashion photographs are alternate realities, desired worlds, magical dreams. THEY ARE ART.

VOGUE PARIS, LOUISE DAHL-WOLFE 1959

VOGUE, EDWARD STEICHEN, 1932

RAGE OF COLOR, ERWIN BLUMENFELD 1958

PHOTO REFERENCES 54

BIBLIOGRAPHY One Hundred Years of Fashion Photography. Selling Dreams: One Hundred Years of Fashion Photography, V & A, 2014. Accessed 05.01.2021 http://www.vam.ac.uk/content/articles/o/one-hundred-years-of-fashion-photography/ The Art of Imitation: Edward Steichen’s Modern Fashion Photographs of 1911, Cassidy Zachary, July 16th 2015. Accessed 09.01.2021 https://theartofdress.org/2015/07/16/the-art-of-imitation-edward-steichens-modern-fashion-photographsof-1911/ Tobia Bezzola, Edward Steichen: In High Fashion the Condé Nast 1923–1937 William A Ewing & Todd Brandow Thames & Hudson 2008. Accessed. 09.01.2021. Icons of Style: A Century of Fashion Photography 1911-2011 - exhibition curated by Paul Martineau and reviewed by Ann Marguerite Tartsinis. Accessed: 10.01.2021. Phillips, 2015. Accessed 13.01.2021 https://www.phillips.com/detail/irving-penn/NY040015/7/ 100 Years of Penn, Arts and Culture, Ivan Shaw. Accessed 13.01.2021 https://artsandculture.google.com/culturalinstitute/beta/exhibit/100-years-of-penn-conde-nast-archive/_ ALC-mHWdEnSIw?hl=en Christie’s, Richard Avedon, Dovima with Elephants https://www.christies.com/features/Lot-81-Expert-View-Richard-Avedon-Dovima-with-Elephant-10642-7. aspx The Richard Avedon Foundation, Accessed 14.01.2021 https://www.avedonfoundation.org/history Bazaar: The Definition of Fashion, Stephen Mooallem, May 11th, 2017. Accessed 14.01.2021. https://www.harpersbazaar.com/culture/features/a9554252/richard-avedon-photographs-1950s/ Phillips, 2015. Accessed 14.01.2021 https://www.phillips.com/detail/richard-avedon/UK040215/94 About Aenigma, Aenigma, Accessed 16.01.2021 https://www.aenigma-images.com/about-aenigma/ David Bailey and the Story of Fashion Photography, British Fashion Council. Accessed 16.01.2021 https://artsandculture.google.com/exhibit/david-bailey-and-the-story-of-fashion-photography-british-fashion-council/3gLiztVGSo0WLw?hl=en Sarah Moon’s enigmatic images offer an ethereal take on fashion photography, Sleek mag, Kathryn O’Regan, Oct 18th 2018. Accessed 15.01.2021 https://www.sleek-mag.com/article/sarah-moon/ Sarah Moon, Michael Hoppen Gallery. Accessed 15.01.2021 55

Erik Madigan Heckâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Spellbinding Works of Fashion, Fantasy, and Fine Art, Blind, Miss Rosen. Accessed 23.01.2021 https://www.blind-magazine.com/en/news/1178/Erik-Madigan-Hecks-Spellbinding-Works-Of-Fashion-Fan Painting Fashion: Erik Madigan Heck, Musee Vanguard of Photography Culture, Ashley Yu, April 2015. Accessed 23. 01. 2021 https://museemagazine.com/features/2019/4/15/painting-fashion-erik-madigan-heck The Garden of Earthly Delights: Heiryonymus Bosch and Fashion Photographer Tim Walker, Beautiful Bi zarre, Angelique Joy, April 24th 2019. Accessed 19.01.2021. https://beautifulbizarre.net/2019/04/24/the-garden-of-earthly-delights-hieronymus-bosch-fashion-photographer-tim-walker/ Tim Walker, Illustrious Fashion Photographer Exclusive Interview, Art of Style, M2M Original, 2018. Accessed 20.01.2021 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ivz1PGO_1JE&t=331s