SJOTIME PHOTOGRAPHY

Morimura Yasumasa

Self-Portrait/After Audrey Hepburn 1

1996

Gelatin Silver Print

 

This photograph is by a Japanese artist named Morimura Yasumasa. Instead of creating his own styles and or subjects, he takes previously done art and puts his face into them. Examples are the Mona Lisa and Olympia. This photograph above is part of a series of photgraphs Yasumasa put together as self-portraits of himself, dressed up as legandary silver screen goddesses. This is obviously a depiction of Audrey Hepburn. Yasumasa explored these women in an unusual way. Everyone knows that these women are loved by others and are famous in their own way. What Yasumasa did was to see if these women could be just as sexy and flirtatious if they were men, and Japanese. By becoming these women, he became them, but also attempted to make them more exotic.

I find this series very interesting. One because of the idea behind it, but two, how much he looks like  these actresses. I had to look twice at some of these because I thought they were the real actors. His ability to dress just like these famous women, and the flirtatious attitude he gives off is spot on. I do believe he makes these women just as flirtatious and sexual as they were before because of his posture and his attention to detail. Audrey Hepburn's hair is spot on along with her makeup. Despite Japanese men usually being pretty skinny, Morimura is very feminine looking and can portray a great seductive look. It is his ability to dress the part, but also be the part in looks, and attitude that Morimura is very successful in his goal to explore famous women and portray them in a new yet similar way as before.