Wednesday, November 4, 2009

Intimate Pictures of Marilyn and JFK?

It's just a fantasy created by photographer Alison Jackson, using look-alikes...Yet what if?





A description of her work from the M+B artist site: "Her photos demonstrate that while seeing is believing, the truth is another story entirely. In her work, Jackson says, 'Likeness becomes real and fantasy touches on the believable. The viewer is suspended in disbelief. I try to highlight the psychological relationship between what we see and what we imagine. This is bound up in our need to look—our voyeurism—and our need to believe.'"

"Indeed, by showing “celebrities” ostensibly caught unawares, Jackson’s pictures show us what we imagine might go on behind closed doors. Her work has caused controversy, not least because it treads in a very gray area between parody and realism by seeming to break down the carefully fortified private lives of public figures."

More of her photos are {here}, but beware some of them are quite shocking!

26 comments:

TheBeautyFile said...

I love the idea of perception and how what we see, or at least, THINK we see changes the image in our mind, and then all that we associate with it. Reminds me of if US magazine existed in the 60s....

Also reminds me somehow of the movie, "Vanilla Sky" because of that whole vivid dream idea...we see only what we want to see....goes for relationships as well....

love this. going to check out her work!

Shannon of HAPPINESS IS said...

Wow - those are some amazing look-a-likes. I'm impressed.

Giulia said...

I'm glad to know about it but the iffy moral issue & overly derivative nature of the art...hmmm. I dunno. I like a lot of Cindy Sherman, for example, & so derivative is not always a bad thing of course (e.g., collage, remixes, etc). Will think on this.

(I take BeautyFiles point & agree...but I am profoundly grateful that US magazine did not exist when I was growing up.)

plaisirs simples said...

omg, this is crazy!

MrJeffery said...

These are cool.

Maia said...

Wow those are beautifully-conceived and crafted photos. Very powerful.

Alicia said...

They look incredibly realistic!

Cassandra Dias said...

Wow, those people look identical to who they're supposed to be portraying! Crazy..

Ange said...

The reality of virtual remains a bit scary to me...

Jo said...

Wow....I'm taken aback by these photos! (especially since I am a believer in some of the theories I'm sure we've all heard)

I have to agree with some of the comments made regarding US magazine. I, too, am glad not to have grown up with it.

Great post!! Very thought provoking!

Uncle Beefy said...

Unreal! I mean, yes, it is "unreal". But if you hadn't said anything I think I would've bought in pronto. Kinda eerie. But amazing.

Margaret said...

Its so realistic. They're such beautiful photographs. I love!

Anna Wallace said...

wow. this is quite moving. i hope everyone has seen happy birthday mr. president...?

Unknown said...

Provoking in the best way! Thanks for sharing!!

xoxox!

Karin van Dam said...

Those pictures are amazing. Thanks for sharing!

Anonymous said...

Beautiful!That woman has such a curvy, 1950's body!

Penney said...

I was in my 7th grade French class when Kennedy was
assassinated...I ran home screaming and crying..
I often wonder..
We all are voyeurs, aren't we?
These were so well done, and lovely..

Penney

alison giese Interiors said...

Incredible - and MOST clever!

persiansweetfantasy said...

Wow amazing.Beautiful photography.I would love to be a model for a photo shoot like this, don't hesitate to contact me LillianOloomi@rocketmail.com

Emily said...

How beautiful! I wish I could have lived in that time! Those were sexy times! Great photos, great entry! xxx LZ

Unknown said...

What an amazing collection. It's really haunting work, as I daresay almost half of the photos include people who are no longer with us. The Marilyn and JFK ones are both provocative and also sad; you wonder how many private moments people in the public eye truly have to themselves and their loved ones.

LenoreNeverM♡re said...

Quite clever concept~
'voyeurism' is on my mind lately as well...Intriguing Tina!
xo*

Kristen said...

wow, what an awesome idea. I totally would have believed it was really them. Very interesting concept.

Kaylovesvintage said...

she looks so good

Unknown said...

this pictures are stunning. really emotional.
they are telling a story.
it really looks like them. what a fabulous project.

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