Loretta Lux, Photographer

My current project requires me to look for inspiration from a varied selection of films and photographers. There has always been an intrinsic link between fashion and film. We as designers cannot help but succumb to being drawn in, and in turn, be inspired by film and photography and vice versa.

Today, I have been studying the life and work of Loretta Lux, and if you have an interest in the mystery that is childhood and time then I highly recommend you take a look at Loretta's work.

I talked previously of how much of an impact our childhood has on our style, so I decided this subject was revelent to my ongoing study. Loretta's recurring and topic theme is that of preadolescent children in an insular dream state, of which she photographs predominantly against a blank wall, and with the use of technology adding a background of which she will have come across on her travels. While that all sounds pleasant and sweet (which it is), there's a much more deeper underlying theme that possesses these beautiful, surreal images.

We as adults have this opinion and theory on what childhood is supposed to be like; playful and carefree, miniature explorists. But Loretta draws this creative personality from them, but understand, she isn't exploiting them, quite the opposite in fact, this is just not the meaning behind her photography. The blank canvas suggests this isn't about children being children but how us adults look at them. In society it is inappropriate for us to make a point of looking at children, not only can it be seen as perverse (sadly) but we relate with their fragile, shy and inquisitive nature. It makes them feel uncomfortable and rightly so (we were all children once!). So there's no wonder these images can make you feel uneased and slightly embaressed. Which poses the question:

Why do we feel so unnerved by looking at images that portray such innocence and beauty? 

This question seems unanswerable which proves just how powerful and intelligent an artist she is. children, but about how us adults perceive them; their outer beauty which the Victorian's viewed and depicted as a sign of inner, immaculate lives.

The pastel tints that suffuse the images and the simplicity seem suggestive of a Victorian ambience, a nursery? We're drawn in by the referal of the emotional over the cerebral, we want to understand the subject, but they stare straight through and past us. They aren't interested in engaging with us. These children are expressionless, almost completely unaware of any other presence. Narcissistic in the most innocent, possible way. To me, the subject is suggestive of the gift of ignorance and naivety children possess prior to being introduced to responsibility and 'life'. Which in turn justifies the link between naivety and the nature of conformity in terms of our hidden style tendencies. 

Lots of Love for now,

Miss E xx