Author Topic: Martin Schoeller "Female Bodybuilders" Exhibit  (Read 8133 times)

ripitupbaby

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Martin Schoeller "Female Bodybuilders" Exhibit
« on: March 11, 2008, 08:37:21 AM »
Thanks to Gene X for the info and pics.   8)


Beverly Hills, CA - Photographer Martin Schoeller, who may be best known for his Close Up project debuted his newest project at the Ace Gallery in Beverly Hills on a Wednesday night to a packed house of art fans, critics, celebrities, athletes and even the Mayor of Los Angeles.  The project was several years in the making and those in the bodybuilding industry may have noticed Schoeller and his crew at many of the women's pro shows.  The final athlete to be photographed was on Sunday morning after the 2008 Arnold Classis, and that was IFBB Pro Kristy Hawkins.  While Hawkins' print was not in the exhibition, which is up until April 2008, she will be included in the book when it is published, which will feature over 60 pro bodybuilders.

The prints, which are C-Prints sized 89" (H) x 72" (W) are impressive in their scale, but it's the combination of the subject matter, lighting treatment and the skill of the artist to pull out from the athletes more than is usually exposed.  All the athletes are in repose trying for a neutral look.  Schoeller purposefully requests this so that other elements of their personalities can come out.  The pensive looks belie the strong exteriors, but a vulnerability is shown as well.  Some portraits seem regal and powerful such as that of Annie Rivieccio, while some seem more sad.

However, the images really evoke responses from the viewer.  They push the viewer not only to examine the person that is presented before them, but to examine themselves at the same time.  They may relate and see something of themselves in the photos, which is something most people probably don't think about - what they have in common - especially when you are discussing female bodybuilders.

At the opening, there were also five of the pros on hand to do performances.  They included the current Ms. Olympia Iris Kyle, the current Ms. International Yaxeni Oriquen, Annie Rivieccio, Betty Viana, and Rosemary Jennings.  During their performances, the women wowed the crowd with their intense muscularity and all were in top shape.  Audience members were heard gasping at the visible motions of the muscle groups as the women flexed and posed.  With such a mixed crowd, it was interesting to see what the response was to them. 

Many echoed a familiar refrain to those involved in the industry saying that they thought originally that muscles on women were kind of gross, but after seeing it in person, one phrase that came up repeatedly was 'inspired' - quite an opposite reaction.  Laura Jackman from LA and Shane Lynch were both impressed and left the exhibit with a newer appreciation of the hard work and dedication that's required to develop a physique to that level.

In all, the even would have to have been qualified as a success from both an artistic perspective as well as for the sport and image of women's bodybuilding.  At the after party/dinner next door many of the patrons were also intrigued by the women and were asking questions on training, etc.  It's clear that the general public has quite an interest in female bodybuilders and hopefully this exhibition and forthcoming book will prove to be a spark for the sport and for the athletes.
:)

DougSmith

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Re: Martin Schoeller "Female Bodybuilders" Exhibit
« Reply #1 on: March 11, 2008, 10:21:03 AM »
Hi Rip

Here is a link to some of the photos

http://www.acegallery.net/artistmenu.php?Artist=41#

Would be interested to here your and others opinions on them here

Best

Doug

Luv2Hurt

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Re: Martin Schoeller "Female Bodybuilders" Exhibit
« Reply #2 on: March 11, 2008, 05:13:20 PM »
That is very cool, look at Annie so damn cute.  Betty was there too, my 2 favorites.

ripitupbaby

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Re: Martin Schoeller "Female Bodybuilders" Exhibit
« Reply #3 on: March 11, 2008, 06:37:41 PM »
I took a look at the pics...interesting for sure. 
For me personally, I don't really love the pics...but I have heard that the exhibit is awesome to see (because the size and clarity of the pics) and that it's been very well-received, so that's a really good thing. 

I'd like to see all of the pics. 
:)

DougSmith

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Re: Martin Schoeller "Female Bodybuilders" Exhibit
« Reply #4 on: March 11, 2008, 08:35:14 PM »
Hi Rip

I like them more now than when I first saw them.  They are very stark, and force the viewer to confront the model's
personality as opposed to just her muscles which is all most people see in  FBB's.

Through super hard lighting and other methods he exaggerates the lines and other facial characteristics of his models,  which is the opposite
of how most portrait photographers work.  As an experiment I photoshopped them out of a few,  and found that the personality
of the models came across just as strong - it is conveyed more by their expression,  facial structure, and attitude than by the fine details.

However if he was not famous,  and treated many celebrities and other famous figures the same way,  I doubt he would have made it out of the exhibition alive :-)

Best

Doug

Laura Lee

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Re: Martin Schoeller "Female Bodybuilders" Exhibit
« Reply #5 on: March 12, 2008, 05:13:17 AM »
90% of those photos (I viewed them all) are quite unflattering and I'm surprised the celebrities would allow such photos to be taken.  Just goes to show you how much some of them depend on touch up software like photoshop.
:D Weee

calmus

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Re: Martin Schoeller "Female Bodybuilders" Exhibit
« Reply #6 on: March 12, 2008, 06:27:12 AM »
Haha... Missy elliot's actually better looking here than many of the others.  Some of those people have really asymmetrical faces. Haven't looked at them all, but so far george clooney, rosario dawson are looking good.

calmus

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Re: Martin Schoeller "Female Bodybuilders" Exhibit
« Reply #7 on: March 12, 2008, 06:28:37 AM »
Angelina Jolie = beautiful.

Brad Pitt looking good.

Arnold, very symmetrical face.

Britney, not bad.

JT, guess I can finally see what all the hullaballoo is about. Very symmetrical.

Denzel, not as symmetrical as I thought he'd be.

ripitupbaby

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Re: Martin Schoeller "Female Bodybuilders" Exhibit
« Reply #8 on: March 12, 2008, 11:35:02 AM »
I went back and looked through all of these pics again, and I gotta admit, I like them better the second time around.  The FBB pics are really interesting.  The celeb faces are awesome!  There are some crazy looking faces out there.   :o

George Clooney is a beautiful, beautiful man. 

:)

siouxcountry

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