In the world of fashion photography, where appearances are everything, Lillian Bassman stands out as a true artist who dared to challenge the status quo. Her journey from commercial image-maker to experimental photographer is a testament to her courage and creativity. Bassman's work, showcased in the exhibition 'Lillian Bassman: Bazaar and Beyond' at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, is a powerful commentary on the artifice of fashion and the power of artistic freedom. Personally, I find her story particularly fascinating, as it highlights the tension between authenticity and artifice in a medium that often prioritizes superficiality. What makes this exhibition so compelling is how Bassman navigates the fine line between embracing and subverting the very nature of fashion photography. Her early career at Harper's Bazaar, under the guidance of Alexey Brodovitch, set the stage for her unique approach to the medium. By the late 1940s, Bassman was already making waves with her distinctive style, which both lifted and embraced the industry's veil of appearances. This is where her genius lies: in recognizing that fashion photography is not just about presenting a construct of beauty, but also about challenging and subverting that construct. One of the most intriguing aspects of Bassman's work is her use of experimental formal techniques. Her photo collages, editorials, and test prints from the 1940s showcase a clear influence of modernist movements, such as Dada and Russian Constructivism. This is particularly interesting given that both movements were rooted in anti-capitalist beliefs, which seems to have resonated with Bassman's own perspective. Her work during this time period provides profound insight into her photographic practice and her desire to break free from the constraints of commercial fashion. As the exhibition progresses, we see Bassman's technical prowess in the darkroom, where she experimented with extreme over- and under-exposure to light and the selective application of bleach. Her darkroom work mirrors the way in which many women construct their beauty and femininity in their daily lives, and it is a powerful commentary on the artificiality of fashion. Bassman's later reprints, particularly those from the 1990s, are the most profound part of the exhibition. In these works, she makes substantial darkroom manipulations by experimenting with exposure times, applying chemicals more harshly, and even using an early version of Adobe Photoshop. Two variations of 'The Cape Back is Back' from 1949 and 1994 encapsulate Bassman's personal evolution. In the original photograph, the model almost blends in with the scenery, whereas in the 1994 version, Bassman accentuates the contrast between light and dark. This reprint creates a stormy uncertainty, especially in the model's facial features and elbow. Without having to satisfy her editors, designers, or advertisers, Bassman was liberated from the pressures of crafting the perfect commercial image, and under her creative free will, artifice could breathe and grow. Bassman's work forces us to contemplate the conceptual side of fashion photography, and these later reprints left me with a range of questions. Are the older images more authentic, because they are truer to Bassman's personal vision, or do they continue to perpetuate fashion's artificiality? In what ways do authenticity and artifice overlap? This is when I realized the genius of Lillian Bassman. In a way, we are all tasked with editing our lives: Every day, we decide how to present ourselves, Photoshopping and curating what we want people to see. Bazaar and Beyond masterfully demonstrates that Bassman's contribution to the fashion photography canon is precisely her embrace of artifice. Lillian Bassman: Bazaar and Beyond continues at the Metropolitan Museum of Art (1000 Fifth Avenue, Upper East Side, Manhattan) through July 26. The exhibition was organized by Virginia McBride, assistant curator in the Department of Photographs. This exhibition is a must-see for anyone interested in the history of fashion photography and the power of artistic freedom. It is a testament to Bassman's genius and a reminder that artifice can be a powerful tool for subversion and self-expression.
