I am fond of Sperlich's cracking close-ups, presenting extreme close-ups of female features/assets, in playful frames. They are so close up that colour and detail is blindingly bold! There is a certain discomfort about the proximity of the shots where the closeness intensifies the intimacy, automatically sexualising body parts even though they were not intended to be, diversely there is an anonymity that makes the image incredibly detailed and personal. There is an interplay between pleasure and pain, not just an erotic emblem of synthetic fantasy but the realities of pain that are caused by structures in society. Pain exposes vulnerability, implying that we should just do what we want and be ourselves.
The close-up above magnifies the on the chilling vapour, the millions of water beads formed by the condensation of humid breath and cold surfaces. Despite the transparency, we only know there is a barrier because of the grainy texture and the squashed flesh pressed against the glass. The location remains unknown, creating mystery. Could this be a Hitchcock parody?
The parted mouth represents an array of concepts but it is obvious that there is a desire for oxygen, fresh air and freedom by the protagonist. She could be enduring a pain of some sort, resulting the viewer to question whether the 'pain' is being enjoyed at that moment in time. Eye contact signifies a fixed gaze with the viewer, a code of lust either for the viewer or just to simply be on the other side of that barrier- the protagonist has the dominance to decide.
What I like most about the photography is the honesty and the non-fictional aesthetic, Sperlich has successfully defied the conventional representation of females found in fashion magazines. He has defied the conception of female beauty and sexuality, proving that females are more alluring without the plastic glow of Photoshop. Be humble. Bizarrely the freckled face and the oil slick breath builds smeared marks that transforms the photograph into an oil painting, a work of art evoking power from a real woman. The breath is rendered as smoke, a substance that is usually expelled out of a ferocious dragon, it is nice to see a woman that slays.
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