There is no law which can guarantee that things will have 'one, true meaning'’ Hall, S. (1997). Aligning to Hall’s statement, this essay will be an analytical response to the photography series ‘MAKEOVER Madness’, sparring between combinations of factual and interpretative analysis.
‘MAKEOVER Madness’ is a controversial photography series revolving around the theme of plastic surgery. The series was taken by the renowned photographer Steven Meisel, and published in the July 2005 edition of Vogue Italia- a top fashion magazine that is well known to provoke and shock its consumers through imageries. As such, Meisel’s choice in utilising Vogue Italia as a platform to feature this series, seems to suggest that ‘the desire to have plastic surgery …show more content…
This Vogue cover is a social commentary on a society that is increasingly obsessed with physical appearance and the lengths it will go to “fix” something only skin deep. It is remarkable that the model on the cover is unfinished, imperfect. This is in great contrast to the usual magazine covers with finished, photoshopped-to-perfection celebrities and models that grace them. Yet, showing the process while staging it as an upper-class luxury plays down the seriousness of plastic surgery and how its effects. While it speaks volume of the lengths women will go to ‘fix” themselves, it still manages to maintain the glamour inherent in most publicity images, through the styling and poise of the model. With her identity hidden behind a frame of dark glasses, the image reaches out and touches the audience as one is given free rein to imagine oneself as her. Envy is stirred and the question is raised as one judges or criticises, whether or not said judgment is objective or whether it stems from the envy and desire. John Berger, in his book Ways of Seeing, expounds on the fact that glamour exists only through envy and it works by playing on the emotional desire of the audience to have and therefore, be glamorous (Berger,
‘MAKEOVER Madness’ is a controversial photography series revolving around the theme of plastic surgery. The series was taken by the renowned photographer Steven Meisel, and published in the July 2005 edition of Vogue Italia- a top fashion magazine that is well known to provoke and shock its consumers through imageries. As such, Meisel’s choice in utilising Vogue Italia as a platform to feature this series, seems to suggest that ‘the desire to have plastic surgery …show more content…
This Vogue cover is a social commentary on a society that is increasingly obsessed with physical appearance and the lengths it will go to “fix” something only skin deep. It is remarkable that the model on the cover is unfinished, imperfect. This is in great contrast to the usual magazine covers with finished, photoshopped-to-perfection celebrities and models that grace them. Yet, showing the process while staging it as an upper-class luxury plays down the seriousness of plastic surgery and how its effects. While it speaks volume of the lengths women will go to ‘fix” themselves, it still manages to maintain the glamour inherent in most publicity images, through the styling and poise of the model. With her identity hidden behind a frame of dark glasses, the image reaches out and touches the audience as one is given free rein to imagine oneself as her. Envy is stirred and the question is raised as one judges or criticises, whether or not said judgment is objective or whether it stems from the envy and desire. John Berger, in his book Ways of Seeing, expounds on the fact that glamour exists only through envy and it works by playing on the emotional desire of the audience to have and therefore, be glamorous (Berger,