I don't know what it is, but I can never warm up to Ellen Von Unwerth. I'm supposed to like her spontaneity, the high-fashion aspect, the model legends (Naomi, Christy, Claudia) she always uses - but it never comes together for me. She just seems like a poor Helmut Newton knock off.
This is a collection of hundreds of color and black and white, posed, unposed, or outrageously posed images of "rebels, misfits, bohemians," as the jacket calls them. I was reminded of the work of Diane Arbus. Although there were a few celebrities included, I got the feeling that most of the people pictured here would not be found among the wealthy, or on the main streets, but in the company of marginalized people on the back alleys of cities. Nice work, but not for everybody.
Ellen von Unwerth's imagination is rich in reference and whimsy. Her erotic photographs display a cunning of execution and reveal her ability to self-reflect on the secrets of desire. This book offers a world of liberation, play, fantasy, and psychological depth. Okay, maybe 15% of the photos are predictable high-fashion and celebrity culture, but the rest of them keep you on your toes.