Edited by Patrick Remy. Text by Bettina Rheims. Contribution by Frédéric Sanchez.
French photographer Bettina Rheims' softly lit, sensitive color studio portraits of transsexuals
Twenty years after Modern Lovers, a body of work on androgyny and transgender created when AIDS was at its peak, Bettina Rheims now presents her Gender Studies. She writes: “Yesterday, on a beautiful Sunday afternoon, I was strolling along the Seine trying to reach the right bank. Paris was full of police cars blocking access to the bridges, while masses of people, “normal families,” were rushing towards the center of town. They were carrying aggressive banners displaying homophobic and racist statements, and refused to acknowledge the existence of “gender theory.” Three years earlier I had placed an ad on Facebook encouraging young men and women who felt “different” to contact my studio. We received dozens of replies, from all over the world, like faraway calls wanting to be heard. It was my aim to show them and give them a voice—to acknowledge them. They came to the studio, exposed themselves shyly, and I photographed them just like that.” In the light of current controversial debates on gender theory, Rheims’ models display remarkable courage by questioning, modifying and celebrating their identities.
In 2011, French photographer Bettina Rheims placed an ad on Facebook asking young men and women who felt “different” or “other” to contact her. Over the course of the next year, she welcomed dozens of transgendered and agendered subjects from around the world to her studio, paired them with stylist Jean Colonna, and produced the remarkable body of work collected in Gender Studies, published by STEIDL. "These boys and girls were brave enough to question their identity, to the point of modifying it," Rheims writes. "It is a long and painful journey, I thank them for sharing these precious moments with me." Featured image is "Charles G. II." continue to blog
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FORMAT: Hbk, 10 x 13 in. / 80 pgs / illustrated throughout. LIST PRICE: U.S. $65.00 LIST PRICE: CANADA $87 ISBN: 9783869308029 PUBLISHER: Steidl AVAILABLE: 11/30/2014 DISTRIBUTION: D.A.P. RETAILER DISC: TRADE PUBLISHING STATUS: Out of stock indefinitely AVAILABILITY: Not available TERRITORY: NA ONLY
French photographer Bettina Rheims' softly lit, sensitive color studio portraits of transsexuals
Published by Steidl. Edited by Patrick Remy. Text by Bettina Rheims. Contribution by Frédéric Sanchez.
Twenty years after Modern Lovers, a body of work on androgyny and transgender created when AIDS was at its peak, Bettina Rheims now presents her Gender Studies. She writes: “Yesterday, on a beautiful Sunday afternoon, I was strolling along the Seine trying to reach the right bank. Paris was full of police cars blocking access to the bridges, while masses of people, “normal families,” were rushing towards the center of town. They were carrying aggressive banners displaying homophobic and racist statements, and refused to acknowledge the existence of “gender theory.” Three years earlier I had placed an ad on Facebook encouraging young men and women who felt “different” to contact my studio. We received dozens of replies, from all over the world, like faraway calls wanting to be heard. It was my aim to show them and give them a voice—to acknowledge them. They came to the studio, exposed themselves shyly, and I photographed them just like that.” In the light of current controversial debates on gender theory, Rheims’ models display remarkable courage by questioning, modifying and celebrating their identities.
