Critical and Contextual: Essay research

I started my research by revisiting the documentation and notes from my visit to the exhibition Horst: Photographer of Style at the Victoria and Albert Museum, London..

Horst P Horst

• Horst created images that transcended fashion and time
• Master of light, composition and atmospheric illusion
• Regular visitor to the Louvre
• Interest in ancient classical architecture and sculpture
• 'Nightgown by dubrulle modelled by Helen Bennett' 1938 - Pale skin in photography resembles marble
• Involving talents of photographer, model, art director, fashion editor, studio assistants and set technicians
• 'Extremes wet at Paris Spring Collections'
• Desire to create dark photographs caused clashes with Vogue staff
• Edna Woolman Chase (vogue) declared she had been lecturing Horst about the lack of light in his photography. He must overcome the state on the part of our photographers to shroud everything in the deepest mystery
• Haute Couture- Horst captures drama of pre war Parisian haute couture with his camera. Master of studio lighting. Expertly conveyed texture of luxury fabrics such as satin and silk.
• Evening wear was a key element of 1930s fashion
• Surreal beauty- Horst's sense of humour and imagination enabled him to produce arresting images even when tasked with capturing products such as lipstick or nailvarnish.
• Horst first worked with Salvador Dali in 1940
• 'I dress as I please' American Vogue - Mainbocher corset was the most alluring of fashion photographs. Depicts madame (something...) assuming the role of Venus. Proportions and contours of her body are as perfect as a classical statue. - Last photograph Horst made in Paris before the outbreak of war. It represented a turning point, the end of a charmed era
• (Film played on projector) out-takes from Fashion means business. Dorian Leigh models the latest american designs in the conde nast studio for Horst and his assistant Vassilov, overseen by vogue editors.
• 1930s ushered in huge technical advancements in colour photography.
• Horst adapted quickly to new visual vocabulary creating some of vogues most dazzling colour images.
• occupation of paris transformed the world of fashion

I also revisited my blog post about the visit V&A Trip: Horst, Disobedient Objects and Retail Therapy.

'Fashion is an expression of the times. Elegance is something else again.'

I looked into the definition of expression and elegance because I believed it was a good starting point to then go on to discuss this compared to other's opinions of the two.

I did a web search of quotes involving keywords such as 'elegance', 'expression', 'timeless' and 'beauty'. I also searched quotes by designers and artists which I considered relevant to my topic and possibly discussable in my future essay.

Here are my other notes in relation to my essay which I plan to use. (Please note: not all these notes make sense nor will be used, some pages may also include random nonsense and doodles!)