'Venus in Furs' | Steven Meisel | Vogue Italia November 2010

Note: nudity Steven Meisel has produced a sensual visual extravaganza, entitled ‘Venus in Furs’ for Vogue Italia November 2010. Models including Freja Beha Erichsen, Iselin Steiro, Iris Strubegger, Alla Kostromichova, Andrej Pejic, Michael Tintiuc and Tomek S bare all in a sexy, natural, androgyny mashup.We are lost in the body parts.

We quickly couldn’t keep the male breasts — fine for Google Images — separate from the female ones, which are big no-nos, unless it’s art. Even if they are small breasts that look just like this, they are not suitable for viewing by children. But isn’t this art? These photos will sell for major money in the future. Goodness knows, it’s not photographic trash. 

I find this entire editorial incredibly provocative on so many levels: gender, humans vs animals, nakedness as real luxury, the skin sensations of sleeping naked under a fur coat which I no longer do, but have done, group intimacy and sensality. The list rolls on in my mind.

Once again, a European Vogue make a statement that doesn’t even enter our dreams in America, as mainstream editorial possibility. Fabulous! Anne

 

Comments

[carouser]

is this a continuation of a trend that we thought had finally gone out the window or is this Steven Meisel simply once again trying to be subversive and force a conscious consideration of what gender and by extension fashion really means?

http://scallywagandvagabond.com/2010/11/its-time-to-see-vogue-italias-latest-contribution-to-the-androgynous-stakes/

[Smilla]

I like that this messes with gender, and I think it does so in an original and a very cool way. I like his choice of models whose sexes aren't readily distinguishable.

But I'm a little confused about why exactly he chose models who all resemble each other to such a striking degree. These people look like siblings. If they didn't seem too dead to be sexual with each other, I'd be squicked. As it is, this looks like a very weird zombified family naked cuddle puddle.

[Anne]

That last sentence is brilliant writing, Smilia. I've had the same thought. This is Vogue Italia, so perhaps there's an effort to bathe the entire scene asexually and in 'divine light', which is the opposite of public perception of debauchery and decadence among there players.

Also, I'm not ready to buy into this thinking from Karl Lagerfeld for one moment, because I believe he has serious issues with strong women, but in working on a new story about Karl to coincide with the Pirelli Calendar release, he gave a long interview to Vice magazine in which he says that sexual appetites should be appeased by porn and erotic flings, leaving love and family, and institutions like marriage, to be strong, loving friendships.

http://www.sensualitynews.com/living/coco-chanel-powerful-seductive-independent-in-coco-chanel-ig.html

Having spent so much time in Europe, I will say that there's truth to this viewpoint, which is why the wife and the mistress (and vice versa with my friends) are both important people in a man's life.

Back to IV, your observation that they look like a naked cuddle puddle does reflect serious thinking both historically and today.

The visual desire to shoot the images in white light is popping up, when the topic is hybrid sexualities. Did you see this new CANDY magazine over at Sensuality News?

http://www.sensualitynews.com/new/sylvester-ulv-andrej-pejic-gabriel-gronvik-john-c-boudewijn.html

I was having this same androgynous, asexual response to these images.

Love your wit. Let me know if you ever want to be a contributor and please comment often. Anne