May 30, 2024 |
Beyond Fashion at Chelsea’s Saatchi Gallery is a must-see for any fan of the breadth and impact of fashion photography. Curated by image expert Nathalie Herschdorfer, who currently operates as the director of Photo Elysée in Switzerland, the comprehensive display explores the work of legendary image makers like Paolo Roversi, Peter Lindbergh and Mario Testino. Identifying how each photographer’s unique use of composition and light increasingly pushed the craft forward into a fresh realm, the curation also integrates the contemporary work of emerging photographers, with images from Elinor Carucci and Elaine Constantine appearing alongside the greats.
In many ways acting as a retrospective of the industry as a whole, the exhibition expertly platforms key moments in fashion history – think Glen Luchford’s revered photoshoot with a fresh-faced Kate Moss punching her way through the monochrome streets of New York, or Lindbergh’s early work with the five leggy beauties who would eventually become known as the world’s first true supermodels.
Structured to highlight the ever-morphing condition of the craft, the exhibition is divided into four distinct sections. Aptly named, the first section, ‘Allure’, focuses on the gloss and glamour of iconic imagery from the ‘90s, before shifting into the dreamlike and whimsical expressions seen in the section titled ‘Fantasy’. The penultimate theme, ‘Realism’ platforms street photography that gives onlookers a sneak peek into the cultural context of the time, whilst the final section ‘Surrealism’ emphasises the boundary-pushers of the craft. Punctuating the imagery are two multi-media elements – one which pays homage to the influence of Nick Knight and ShowStudio on the role of moving images in fashion, and the other, an installation entitled Under Your Smell which highlights visual interpretations of Jean Paul Gaultier perfumes by students of Switzerland’s University of Art and Design, Lausanne.
An indomitable celebration of the power that imagery has to shift mindsets, make careers and evoke emotion, the exhibition opens to the public tomorrow and will remain on view until September 8, 2024. Book your tickets here.
Photography courtesy of Saatchi Gallery.
