Have camera, will travel: Kraków II

Photographs by Alva

Niall and Fred

Photographs by Alva

The Dead Zoo: a Museum of a Museum

Photographs by Alva

Frida Kahlo: style icon

One's wardrobe reveals one's politics;

it is the story one lives by;

it is one's symbolic self.

HONORÉ DE BALZAC

Photographic Portrait of Frida Kahlo by Nickolas Muray

FRIDA KAHLO is long overdue for consideration as a fashion icon. She used the same creative approach to her appearance as she did to her art; she expressed herself in a truly individual way.  Her life, her look, her work were all part of her creative output. Born in 1907 the daughter to a Mexican mother and a German photographer in Mexico at a time when photography was still a relatively new discipline, she was automatically immersed into a highly visual and colourful world. Frida suffered many hardships throughout her short life, including a near fatal tram accident at the age of 18 which left her with significant injuries that haunted her fragile body for the rest of her life and her turbulent relationship with the Mexican mural painter Diego Rivera. To some, she could have been considered an invalid. However, that is not how Frida is remembered. In her art, paradoxically, she comes across as both a strong and vulnerable soul. It was this resilience and determination which led her to lead  a life full of passion and creative expression.

Frida evidently cared very little for what others thought of her appearance; she insisted on wearing traditional clothes, handmade from the most delicate textiles, collected from all over the world. According to her husband Diego's wishes, in 2004 her wardrobe was opened fifty years after her death. It revealed a colourful and intimate treasure trove of embroidered velvet Chinese capes, Oriental silk skirts, and many handmade traditional Mexican garments. Each piece of clothing displayed fine detailing and decoration; each a work of art that Frida loved and enjoyed. Just as she found painting therapeutic when trying to work through her suffering, I am almost sure that the beautiful clothes she used to mask her malformed figure and emotional turmoil also helped to lift her spirits.

Frida in her bedroom in the Casa Azul, 1952
 (Photograph: Bernice Kolko)

But, what makes Frida a style icon?  Firstly, she is instantly recognizable from her hair pieces, chunky jewels to her many brightly coloured skirts. Secondly, she accessorized every outfit to the maximum and got away with it. Why? Because it was just another creative output to her. Her inspiration wasn't taken from Chanel's latest collection, which was making headlines during the 1920s and 30s and influenced many so called modern Mexican women. Instead, Frida looked to traditional ethnic groups and loved the inherited artistry they used to embellish their garments with precious silk threads and painstakingly handmade lace. 

Frida with a headdress of black cords in Casa Azul, 1941

(photograph by Florence Arquin)

Her style was an eclectic one, interwoven with an integral sense of identity and an appreciation of traditional craftsmanship. She chose to take many stylistic references from the native Indians in Mexico, whose traditional style of dress was considered to be unsophisticated and old fashioned. Frida felt that Mexico itself was loosing her own sense of identity, weighed down by a draining revolution, political chaos and a hunger to modernize and catch up with the American palette for everything modern and new. Almost one third of her paintings were self-portraits, it's obvious from the detail in her clothes that her wardrobe was an extension of her art and self-expression.

Frida in studio with her painting 'The Two Fridas'

Finally, we should acknowledge Frida's influence on the fashion world. She was the inspiration behind many collections from Christain Lacroix to Givenchy. In 2010 she was the muse behind Karl Largerfeld's photo shoot in German Vogue, where he styled Claudia Schiffer with statement ethnic accessories, full skirts and over sized flower hair pieces. I think Frida would have found it ironic that she had inspired Chanel's head designer and made the pages of Vogue.

Claudia Schiffer, German Vogue (April 2010)

Frida Kahlo’s Wardrobe is the subject of the Frida Kahlo Museum (Casa de Azul, Kahlo's former home) in Mexico's current exhibition, showcasing over 300 of the artist's belonging. This exhibition will be on display until November 2013.

Jacques-Henri Lartigue: Through the Eyes of a Child

Papa at 80k/hr, Grand Prix de l'A.C.F., 26 June 1912

The first time I came across these snap shots I was struck by their innate sense of fun. They were taken by a young French photographer called Jacques-Henri Lartigue. They are wonderful images of a privileged lifestyle in an exciting time. This was at the beginning of the 20th Century; the age of speed. 

Zissou flies!

 

The first automobiles were appearing on the streets and people were beginning to experiment with flying machines and racing cars. The difference between Lartigue's work and that of his contemporaries is his lack of formality. He obviously wasn't concerned with the rules of photography simply because he never knew they existed! He preferred to experiment with the camera; capturing split seconds and funny acrobatics. After all, he was just a boy. 

 Cousin Bichonnade, Paris, 1905

Born in 1894, Lartigue was given his first camera at the age of 7 by his father, who was passionate about all the latest inventions and wealthy enough to possess them. From  a very young age Lartigue had developed his own individual style characterized by a lack of pretentiousness, with off beat compositions and above all spontaneity.

Avenue de Bois de Bolognne, Paris, 15 January 1911

You can almost imagine the childish giggles he let out when he would press the shutter. At this time many of the professional photographers were obsessed with keeping their subjects still like statues to avoid blur. His low viewpoint and naive impulsive creativity, gave a fresh perspective of life at the time.

 My Seaplane and me in my Bath, Paris, 1906

Lartigue continued to take photographs for the rest of his life, but I find this particular period his most touching. Maybe because we're seeing the beginning of the 20th century through the eyes of a child or perhaps because they capture an exciting era; holding it's breath with anticipation of what was yet to come. Unfortunately the First World War shattered these hopes and many of the seemingly fun inventions came to be used in conflict, not as a means of progress but as weapons of war. 

Cat

Eddie Adams: The Ethics of War Photography

Street Execution of a Prisoner, 1968 by Eddie Adams

Images like this one make for uncomfortable viewing, however they have a hugely important role in history. This shocking photograph was taken in 1968 by the photo-journalist Eddie Adams. It captures the exact moment a bullet enters the head of a suspected Vietcong guerilla called Nguyen Van Lam. The man holding the gun was Colonel Nguyun Ngoc Loan, chief of the South Vietnamese Police.

Technically, the image is an incredible demonstration of the skill of still photography as a document of honest reportage; the courage needed to go into dangerous situations and calmly take a good picture is something that requires a huge degree of detachment and self-discipline. However, pictures like this one undoubtedly raise questions about the ethical implications of media coverage in war. Was the man executed because the media was present? Surely it was important that there were independent witnesses there? According to Adams after the incident the Colonel exclaimed, 'They kill many of my men and your people,' and then walked away. The reaction to this photograph was so profound that it fueled anti-war sentiments in the US, exposing the brutality and casual violence of the Vietnam War.

Tom's Hands

I took this photograph in 2001 whilst working on the archaeological illustration of a huge assemblage of artefacts excavated in South County Dublin. After drawing this beautifully worked Neolithic flint arrowhead I asked one of the archeologists to hold it in his hands for me. Tom, was over 70 at the time and had worked hard all his life. I imagined that the the person who crafted this seemingly fragile stone weapon thousands of years ago, may have had similar hands. I love the juxtaposition of the delicate artefact, which is capable of inflicting fatal harm when used correctly, with Tom's large and weathered hands.