Lisette Model, “Valeska Gert, Death”, 1940

#somereallygoodones, #lisettemodel, #valeskagert, #death

Lisette Model (1901-1983) was born in Austria but worked in America as a photographer and highly regarded teacher. Many of her images are memorable, especially her large-framed Coney Island bather and New York street store window reflections.

Vales Gert (1892-1978) was a German cabaret/performance artist known for acting out heightened experiences. This portrait is titled “death” but seems more along the lines of “petit mort.”

Lisette Model, “Valeska Gert, Death”, 1940

Gert is offering something fierce. It is a picture of power, but the strength of the image lies in its ambiguous nature. This may be pain or it may be pleasure or even something else. The intensity is visceral for the viewer. Model was fascinated by humanity, wanting that to be her legacy as a teacher, championing that dynamic.

Model’s mantra was indeed "Never photograph anything you are not passionately interested in”*1

*1 Ann Thomas, “Lisette Model” National Gallery of Canada, 1990

#somereallygoodones, #theunseeneye, #wmhunt, #collectiondancingbear, #collectionblindpirate, #greatphotographs, #howilookatphotographs, #photographsfromtheunconsicous, #collectingislikerunningaroundinathunderstormhopingyoullbehitbylightning, #aphotographsogooditmakesyoufartlightning, #photographychangeditlifeitgavemeone, #lisettemodel, #valeskagert, #death