Addressing the fetishisation of Asian women, advice from the man who shot the 70s, women sharing everyday sexual harassment stories, and Russia’s greatest art rebel
“Not all of us are petite, slim, docile and submissive”, Elizabeth Gabrielle Lee told me the night before her recent book release XING. She was discussing the fetishisation of Asian women and the labelling and stereotyping of which she has experienced. XING is the umbrella title for a larger series, and this – the first – is a collaborative visual project that features photographers such as Vivian Fu, Clara Lee, Ronan Mckenzie, as well as Lee’s work, amongst many others. The book uses mimicry to subvert these stereotypes – “petite, slim docile, and submissive” – and reclaim individual identity.
Mick Rock. A Name synonymous with the golden age of rock and roll and its biggest stars – Bowie, Lou Reed, Iggy Pop. Affectionately known as “The Man Who Shot The Seventies”, the photographer sat down with us to tell us how to capture the aura of a person, with tips such as “Be part of the culture” and “Embrace the imperfections” – check it out here.
Syd Barrett With Record Player, London 1969PHOTO COPYRIGHT MICK ROCK 2017
Poet, journalist, photographer and Russian dissident, Slava Mogutin, has steadily been making a name for himself for more than two decades. In 1994, he made headlines and landed on Russia’s watch list for attempting to marry his then-partner, American artist Robert Filippini. Since, he’s continued to challenge taboos surrounding homosexuality and masculinity through his photography. With a new book about to be released featuring 15 years of his seminal work, Mogutin gave us the sneak preview.
WHAT’S LIFE LIKE IN A PLACE WHERE BEING GAY IS ILLEGAL?
To mark the 50th anniversary of the passing of 1967 Sexual Offences Act in the UK, photographer Lee Price shared a series of images he took in Sierra Leone where identifying as gay is in stark contrast to the freedoms enjoyed here. Instead, being gay is a crime.
“Drinks after BB King – m4w (Midtown)”, “need a friend to hang out with! preferably female (Chelsea)”, “girls that bring a book to the beach are so important – m4w (Bronx)”. These are just some of the Craigslist ads that have been published in the “Strictly Platonic” section of the website. Fascinated, photographer Peter Garritano responded to each ad and met the people behind them.
Photographer Eliza Hatch has been connecting with women in an attempt to give them a platform to tell their public sexual harassment stories. From being told to “cheer up, luv” (the title of the project) to unsolicited groping and even horrific tales of women being followed home – these are sure to outrage you.
South African photographer Zanele Muholi recently opened her first London solo show, so we took it upon ourselves to catch up with the incredible artist on her self-portraiture project and why she channels other people’s pain through her camera.
Us girls do friendship well. Not long ago, we featured a series of photographs that Anita Corbin took in 1981. Titled “Visible Girls”, the images captured pairs of women in London – at home, in clubs, on the streets. Decades later, she started to search for the faces who filled her frames. Putting out a call on social media, Corbin managed to track down several of the women and asked them to re-stage the image.
Ivar Wigan has the ability to instill magic in his work. Whether he’s shooting America’s south, Africa or Jamaica – as he did most recently for his project Young Love. Focusing on the importance of dance hall music on the island, Wigan set about shooting the clubs, backyards and morning afters, presenting a mix of portraiture and landscape in a dreamy sequence of shots.
