| Brigitte Bardot and the Original Paparazzi |
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| Written by Eva D.Grimaldi |
| Saturday, 12 September 2009 00:00 |
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"the day photographers will no longer be after you, you'll be after them!"  LONDON Coinciding with the 75th Birthday of Brigitte Bardot on 28th September 2009, James Hyman Gallery presents an exhibition of 75 vintage photographs by some of the most famous paparazzi photographers of the 1960s. Presented at the same time as London Fashion Week (18-22 September) Brigitte Bardot and the Original Paparazzi focuses
on one of the greatest fashion icons of the twentieth century. Timed to coincide with the 50th anniversary of the birth of the paparazzi, the exhibition traces the development of a whole new aesthetic and genre of photography. Fuelled by an international obsession with celebrity, these rare photographs illustrate the creation of a more candid, intimate and revealing depiction of youth that swiftly replaced the more controlled and posed studio imagery of the publicity machines of the film studios. It shows how Bardot and the paparazzi created a whole new image of womanhood, female sexuality and youth fashion.The exhibition begins with the home of the paparazzi, Italy, and focuses on the work of the two most famous early paparazzi photographers Marcello Geppetti and Tazio Secchiaroli. It then explores the depiction of Bardot both on and off the movie set, from the airports and streets of the world, to her private life in St. Tropez.  Brigitte Bardot In the post-war period, Italy was rapidly transforming. The hardships of reconstruction in the 40s and 50s soon gave way to the great economic boom of the 60s. The greatest symbol of this was the Cinecittà studios, which became second only to Hollywood as the biggest centre of film production in the world. Brigitte Bardot spent a great deal of time in Italy shooting Jean Luc- Godard's Le Mepris and Louis Malle's La Vie Privee. When she arrived at Rome's Fiumicino Airport, she was greeted by a throng of reporters and photographers, Patrick Morin among them. Morin's shots of Bardot leaving the plane perfectly capture the essence of an era. They belong to a visual trope that symbolized the height of modern luxury and the glamorous 'jet-set' lifestyle. Marcello Geppetti's images of Bardot in Spoleto, are paparazzi images of a star playing the role of a star being hounded by paparazzi. There is nonetheless an innocence and sense of collusion in the images. Tazio Secchiaroli was known as the 'leader of the pack' of the original paparazzi. Believing a picture is a stolen moment from life; he wanted his photos full of action and in defense of his aggressive photographic style, he has said, "the day photographers will no longer be after you, you'll be after them!" After Fellini based his character 'Paparazzo' on Secchiaroli in La Dolce Vita, his reputation soared. Various filmmakers and stars, including Marcello Mastroianni and Sophia Loren, used him as their personal photographer, and in this capacity Secchiaroli turned into a companion and confidante. Ironically, a film that reflected Paparazzo's-- and thus Secchiaroli's-- 'other' or 'outsider' status in the celebrity world was enough to grant him unrestrained access inside it.  Brigitte Bardot In 1963 Secchiaroli was selected as an on-set photographer for Jean Luc Godard's, Le Mepris, a cinematic gem and Bardot's first foray into art-house cinema. The photographs Secchiaroli took with free reign on set offer glimpses into a world where film-goers are not usually allowed. Despite the full access that he was given, Secchiaroli held true to his prior paparazzi aesthetics and preferred to have his photographs appear as stolen moments. Objects such as a statue, a lamp, or other figures often obstruct the view of Bardot; one shot is taken through bars; all giving the sense of the illicit stolen image. Not only can we see the talent of Secchiaroli as a photographer in the shots but we are also afforded a glimpse into Jean Luc Godard's creative process via the body of Bardot. Through Secchiaroli's unconventional voyeurism, we gain a one of a kind perspective on the making of a masterpiece. In 1961, Brigitte Bardot made one of several suicide attempts. She subsequently received treatment at a clinic in Nice, France. The public was shocked by the attempt on her life because it so clashed with her ebullient and fun-loving public persona. The newspapers were full of images of Bardot, some showing her leaving the clinic, others running stock images of the star in an attempt to get the story to press as quickly as possible. The images were wired around the world with great speed, owing to new advancements in wire technologies. These photographs are an example of the public's thirst for images of celebrities not only in their glamorous moments, but also at their worst. They are indicative of the persistence and omni-presence of the paparazzi and the inability of celebrities to maintain any level of privacy. In 1966, fresh from her marriage to her third husband, German multi-millionaire Gunther Sachs, Bardot arrived in London. To the expectant group of reporters and photographers at the airport she declared: "It is good to have a change. Honeymoon, work, honeymoon, work" In several images shot around London, Bardot is seen in miniskirts, a new fashion statement of the sixties, especially popular in 'Swinging London,' and one that Bardot helped to popularize.  Brigitte Bardot Sam Levin's photographs are amongst the most iconic ever taken of Bardot. He contributed perhaps more than any other photographer to Bardot's early imaging as a "sex kitten" with his sensual, riske images. During this time, France was looking for a new symbol of the nation and through Levin's images, found this in Bardot. Portraying her in vibrant colours, with tousled hair and bare feet, Levin broke away from traditional studio shoot conventions to create a new fashion aesthetic and sexual vocabulary. Thus conjuring a refreshing image of childish naiveté, coupled with an almost animalistic sexuality, which made Bardot a tabula rasa on which France was able to stamp their objectives of modernity. Levin's photos of Bardot were one of the main forces that propelled Bardot's image and thus France to compete with Hollywood sirens for publicity. In 1960 it was rumoured that Levin's photo of Bardot from behind in a white corset sold more postcards than that of the Eiffel Tower. The once-sleepy French fishing village is where she spent most of her time when she was not shooting, preferring it over popular nearby Monte Carlo. St. Tropez would not remain quiet for long however and Bardot is often credited with putting St. Tropez on the map for the international glitterati. The shots here are taken with a telephoto lens and the subjects appear to be unaware of being photographed. This style of photograph marks a departure away from the more intimate and candid early paparazzi shots, in which photographer and subjects shared the same territory. Gone is the collusion and the game of cat and mouse of the early street photographers. The new generation of paparazzi photographer was much more akin to the realm of surveillance photography than street photography. As a result, in these images, content rules over form. Little attention is paid to framing or composition, the main focus being on capturing the target. These images mark the end of an era and usher in the type of paparazzi image we are more familiar with today. Images: Archive Bookmark us: 
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| Last Updated on Wednesday, 09 September 2009 08:43 |