EDITOR ’ S LETTER by Andrea Blanch
As difficult as it can be to think about power these days , it can also be difficult not to . The destructive power of weaponry has been devastatingly wielded in school shooting after school shooting , and our fraught political atmosphere is exemplified by Robert Mueller ’ s recent attempt to wrest power over America from the hands of Donald Trump . The widespread use of social and economic power to procure sexual power has also been shamefully exposed by the Me Too movement , and neither the art world nor the fashion world have been spared from its far-reaching accusations . And while it is encouraging to move towards a society where women feel freer to speak the truth of their traumas , we must also remember that such stories are not always as simple as we may be tempted to believe . Without minimizing the suffering of the accusers , we must leave room for due process for the accused , and for acknowledging the complex situations that can arise in an industry in which spontaneity , seduction and sensuality are frequently just part of the job . Men , after all , aren ’ t the only ones who can have corrupt agendas , and just because an unequal balance of power is involved in a sexual relationship doesn ’ t mean it crosses a moral line . Because it ’ s not often that any two people will ever find themselves on truly equal ground . As revealed in a series by Pieter Hugo which explores the sadomasochistic relationship found between rural Nigerian street performers and the domesticated , captured hyenas who make their shows a success , power infuses even our dynamics with other species . It too infuses our religious beliefs , as explored in the church-building “ Facades ” captured by Markus Brunetti , an artist who also harnesses the power of digital innovations to enhance his craft and allow him to create “ hyper-real ” images that illuminate their subjects in more depth and clarity than anything “ reality ” has to offer . On the other hand , featured photographer Andreas Gursky , world-famous for his large-format photographs , offers pictures that defy the norm in their scale as well as their excellence . The expansiveness of his subject matter finds reflection in the physical size of these pictures , ultimately making his work the highest-priced in the world and prompting us to examine our notions of what it means for something to take up space . Martin Scholler similarly explores physical power as well as the personal power some women find in maintaining a counter-cultural identity in a series featuring female body-builders . We also delve into the disturbing and violent Claymation films of Nathalie Djurberg and Hans Berg and dig into the challenging work of filmmaker Ruben Ostlund , whose new film The Square uses the lens of the art world to conduct intense investigations into the complex moral and societal dilemmas that can arise when one is forced to choose between the individual and the collective . And the power of photography is something that affected even figures as historically powerful and painful to recall as Adolf Hitler . This issue features seldom-seen pictures of the dictator hard at work crafting his own image by rehearsing his speeches , pictures that Hitler feared so much he wanted them destroyed . But just as important are reminders of how positive the power of photography can be when wielded to heal rather than harm , to create rather than destroy . Some of the medium ’ s most redemptive aspects are showcased when artist Marjan Teeuwen uses innovations in architecture to transform destroyed buildings into works of physical and visual art , and when Carrie Young challenges the patriarchal bias of our justice system by portraying a hypothetical world in which women hold all the legal cards . Mac Cosmetics has also found a progressive way to harness photography ’ s power in the advertising world by featuring images of ethnically diverse models that challenge the beauty industry ’ s exclusive norms . This issue also acknowledges that the power of curation in photography to literally and figuratively frame a work can sometimes be just as important as the works themselves . Director and curator Chris McCall finds unique new ways to present photography and discusses the steps groundbreaking hotspot Pier 24 is taking to expand its audience into the next generation . And collector Deborah Goodman explores the healing power of pharmaceuticals and brings the power of photography to an environment most would never expect to find it- company Pharmascience ’ s corporate offices . Power is not always something that ’ s easy to see , and some of the other excellent artists featured in this issue deal with it in its more subtle forms . As far as Musee Magazine ’ s future , we hope to keep moving forward with our next issue , which will focus on the theme of motion . Finally , as a friend once told me , it ’ s important to remember that power is not given to us ; power is taken . And sometimes that taking of power can be harnessed by simply taking a picture .
Martin Schoeller , Kim Buck , © Martin Schoeller .
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