"Crying Men" (last Taylor Wood post for the day, promise!)

Crying is so weird, right? No, actually, crying is the most natural and un-censored of physical responses, but people's reactions to crying are really, really weird. Crying makes the majority of people freak-out. I've witnessed seemingly together folk absolutely drop their shit when someone crys around them. It never ceases to amaze me that we can treat eachother with absolute disregard and wreck the devastation on the world that we do daily, and yet tears are taboo.
These shots are lovely, lovely. Men crying - the ultimate taboo breaker. Daniel Craig's shot kills me.

Suspensions

More from Sam Taylor Wood. These are from the different series' of self portraits working with the concept of suspension.

"The Half"

These are some images from photographer Simon Annand's new book "The Half". It was profiled in december's British Harper's Bazzar, and Annand descirbed his work like this: "...the 30 minutes before the curtain rises on a stage production - a very photogenic time to be with an actor." He's only published half of his work in this particular book, but I believe more will be available in an online collaboration with Celebrate The Play.
There was this one shot of Rachel Weisz (adore!), in her dressing room before taking the stage in her portrayal of Blanche Dubois in A Streetcar Named Desire. I cant find it online, but it was especially gorgeous. According to the Harper's interview, Annand found her particularly amazing to shoot as she wouldnt stop moving everywhere with music pumping from her ipod.
I think the beauty of these photographs is that they show some of the internal preparation the actors go through in the last rush before the curtain rises.

"Pieta"

LOVE, LOVE Same Taylor Wood. She's so flipping brave and defiant of society's conventions. I've followed all herwork closesly and have honestly never seen anything I didn't love at first sight. Cant wait to see her first feature film, the John Lennon biopic "Nowehere Boy".
White Cube, the gallery that represents her (or at least they did, not sure if they still do) says that the great thing about her work is that, regardless of medium, she examines humanity's shared psychological conditions, the split between being and appearance.

These are stills from the 2 minute film of her performance piece "Pieta". In the film, which is shot in real time, Taylor Wood struggles to support the dead weight of Robert Downey Jnr. Its so beautiful. An homage, of sorts, to Michaelangelo's "Pieta", where the Madonna displays the body of the dead Christ for veneration. RDJ doesnt fake death- its clear he is alive, and Taylor Wood makes no pretence of how heavy he is and she can only support his body by moving her splayed legs onto different levels of the steps she is seated on.
I don't know how to upload videos here yet, but it's on youtube.
Watch it and tell me what you think.

NARS 15 X 15

Anyone familiar with this blog will be aware of my makeup obsession. To celebrate 15 years of FANTASTIQUE colour, Francois Nars has created a book of 15 celebrity portraits inspired by a Nars product name, and an iconic reference. Each was chosen by Francois, who devised the looks and took the portraits. The man in GIFTED!!
Favourites are the protraits of Daphne Guinness and Olivier Theyskens.
As for my beloved Nars products...
The 'Night Rider' eyeshadow (a wicked charcoal pigment packed densely with glitter shards) and the 'Super Orgasm' blush (will give any fair skinned poppet a certain glow in 2 seconds flat).
DELISH!!

Chanel's Delicious Tattoos.

Chanel's makeup king, Peter Phillips (he who made green nails covetable last season), has announced the launch of the limited edition trompe-l'oeil tattoo transfers. Wow!! I've been on the blower to the Sydney store and am on the wait-list (with, like 400 other birds). Want them on my person NOW!

Jane Reece 1868-1961

Pictorialist photographer Jane Reece. She was quite pioneering in her experimentation with filters, lenses, developing processes and heavy manipulation of her images.