Steven Meisel - "Water&Oil"

Over 780 million liters of crude oil spilled into the ocean over a period of 3 months -- enough to leave a lasting mark on the ecosystem and the collective conscience. Following catastrophes of this kind, there is often a explosion of cathartic responses in domains as diverse as art, literature and fashion. Opening the games is the "Water&Oil" series by Steven Meisel for Vogue Italy.

When it comes to provocation, Meisel is far from inexperienced. As the official photographer for Vogue Italy, he likes to use Condé Nast's pages to stage disturbing photo editorials, flirting with a reality that in and of itself is already troubling. He is credited with the photos evoking the psychosis generated by the swine flu, as well as those treating subjects like extreme poverty or the excesses of cosmetic surgery.

These photo editorials are perceived more or less as scandalous, depending on whether they cross the line of moral correctness. The swine flu editorial was rather well received, whereas the series on extreme poverty provoked indignation.

"Water&Oil" incites interrogation. As is often the case with Meisel, the photos - sublimating to perfection a topic that has nothing to do with fashion - leaves the viewer with the curious sensation of having witnessed a bad mix of genres.

Dressed in creations originating directly from (Parisian Champs Elysées area shopping destination) avenue Montaigne and stuck in what looks like crude oil, model Kristen McMenamy is subjected to the same sort of experience as the oil-covered birds and fish of the Louisiana coast.

The images, magnificently realistic, push the viewer into a parallel dimension where the dramatic events in question are relieved of their unbearable quality in favor of a gratuitous aesthetic. Acting as the main theme of 24 pages of photos, this catastrophe becomes just another subject whose tragic nature allows Meisel to create extremely striking images.

If this photo series risks being taken for a Meisel contribution to consciousness raising, the simple fact that priceless ensembles were ruined for the needs of a photo shoot quickly refutes that assumption; this approach does not really conform to the idea that one might have of a protest.

In the end, the problem remains the same: should a fashion magazine, under the pretext of working with a star photographer, allow itself to take on more sensitive subjects at the risk of finding itself with photos that would be better presented in a contemporary art fair? The debate is on.

Click here to see the making of: http://www.youtube.com/BLmNVOXOkXA
Click here to see all the photos: http://www.refinery29.com/oil-spill-vogue-italia