Christian Tagliavini - Cut Out & Keep 

Taliavini’s process with his body of work is not disimillar to other popular art photographers already widely exhibited within the industry. Alike Thomas Demand and other photographic practitioners who re-create specific spaces in an attempt to analyse photography’s relationship with the past and present.

The artistic skill involved within the portraits makes them instantly engaging for an audience. The meticulous reconstruction of period garments, lighting set-ups alongside the pose and facial expressions of his subjects are confusingly realistic. Again we are shown a reconstruction of an original object, the emphasis placed on its inauthenticity questioning the impermance of our reality, in this case this specifically relates to fashion. 

Despite finding the project intriguing ( largely due to its aesthetic appeal which lends a sense of fragility the work), it seems overall somewhat a dissapointing concept. Fashion is a disposable industry, the method of representation for the argument of clothings immateriality within history, maybe becomes somewhat stifilied in the choice of reconstruction in this mannar. I feel it is a shame that the pictures although beautiful, continue to connote the superficial, a tired argument in regards to fashion. 

Perhaps it is the question of how else do contemporary photographers choose to tackle such themes? What themes should begin to be addressed in todays artistic world to produce something organic, innovative and inspiring in both its method of production and intellectual concept. 

Neverthless see the work for yourselves!

Exhibited 03 Nov 2011 – 07 Jan 2012 at Diemar/Noble Photography

Address: 66/67 Wells Street, London, W1T 3PY

http://www.christiantagliavini.com/