阿尔瓦伯娜丁
Альва Бернадин

Butterfly Face

source: highlike

Work: Alva Bernadine’s incomparable photographic signature is quite unique. His work combines elements of surrealism and erotic photography with humour. These photographs — be they in color or in black and white – are astounding, provocative and compelling. Bernadine’s photographic world is way out, incredible funny at times, disturbing at others. Its compositional strength and colour intensity always constitute a visual happening, or as Alva Bernadine himself puts it: “I take the theatricality of surrealism, the elegance of classical haute couture photography, the narrative of reportage and the refinements of advertising photography and mix them all into a ‘Bernadinian cocktail’ — a radical photographic synthesis.” Bernadine’s photographs can be read at two levels: on the surface, a feast for the eyes, below that, a wealth of sublime, ironic, sometimes provocative allusion. After the initial shock — maybe even the first burst of laughter — the spectator discovers the photographs’ narrative quality, unfolding between careful mise-en-scène and distorted alienation. Latex-clad women in their fitted-kitchens, manipulated female bodies with two lower or upper torsos — these are stories from the subculture of male fantasy, defused somewhat by self-mocking exaggeration and surreal form, though without losing anything of their provocative and pugnacious quality.
Photographer: Alva Bernadine
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
source: sigs-signature

NOT UNLIKE THE FIRST “Imitation is the Sincerest Flattery” that I posted last year on Alfred Gescheidt and Garage magazine, the nanosecond I saw the all-new ad campaign for the spring/summer 2012 collection of the men’s and women’s “ethical, lifestyle fashion brand” Edun I shouted to myself—Alva Bernadine!

I initially espied Mr. Bernadine’s work on the purple Fashion website where they featured a video on his Butterfly Collector series (subsequently I purchased one of his two books.) Because the Butterfly series was the first of Mr. Bernadine’s work that I saw it is the one (other than his “cunt flowers” series, which I find curious and amusing) that resonates in my mind the most.

Except for the fact that the Edun butterflies are alive (it would look bad for Bono and LVMH to kill cute bugs on camera, though I can’t imagine too many survived the shoot to fly out of the photo studio) and Mr. Bernadine’s are mortas it appeared to me that the Edun concept was beyond reminiscent (more like a dead ringer or rather “live ringer” in you like) of The Butterfly Collector works: in addition to the core concept itself, both are shot on an earth tone seamless background (though I must confess I prefer the colour selected by Edun), both used similar lighting, etc. In addition to liking the green over the sienna and sand I will say that the Edun models are far more attractive—has no bearing on the similarity in concepts, just saying.

Mr. Bernadine’s book, “Gratuitous sex & Violence—My Favourites”, which featured The Butterfly Collector works came out in 2009, purple Television posted the video in May 2011 and the Edun campaign just dropped last week—I will leave it to all of you to decide how ethical Edun is…
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
source: artandpopularculture

Alva Bernadine (born June 17, 1961) is a British photographer. He was born in Grenada, West Indies, and was brought to London at the age of six. He is self-trained and has photographed for Vogue, GQ, Elle and others. Winner of the Vogue/Sotheby’s Cecil Beaton Award, he was also twice nominated English “Erotic Photographer of the Year.” He is inspired by Guy Bourdin.
One of his best-known works is The Philosopher Illumined by Candlelight of which Bernadine says: I once listened to a late night BBC Radio 4 programme called Sex in the Head where people described their sexual fantasies and on it a woman described how she enjoyed her partner reading his newspaper by the light of a candle placed in her vagina. His book Bernadinism: How to Dominate Men and Subjugate Women was published by Stemmle in 2001 with text by Nerve cofounder Genevieve Field.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
source: eroticartdropswordpress

È stato nominato per ben due volte Erotic Photographer of the Year dall’Erotic Awards UK; spesso ha idee folli, molto più spesso ha idee fortemente e profondamente folli, basta fare un giro nella sua pagina web: è un delirio. Lui è Alva Bernadine e anche se ha un nome che suona a purezza e candore, questi due termini non c’entrano assolutamente niente né con lui né con ciò che fa.

La sua è un’arte surrealista che si mantiene in bilico tra il grottesco e l’erotico; molti potrebbero considerarla repugnante, soprattutto se si fa riferimento al video I Hurt Myself Today – Self Piercing o alla serie Born With Three Mouths (video che non pubblicherò perché, ve lo dico chiaramente, fanno ribrezzo pure a me. Se ci tenete a vederli, seguite il link).

Ciò che a me piace di Alva Bernardine sono alcune sue foto come, per esempio, la serie Reflect Upon This – Photographic Nudes:

E poi ci sono le Violence Series, la Occasional Furniture (che ricordano le lamp-girls di Marianne Moric) e tantissime altre serie fotografiche.

In molti penserete che Alva Bernadine sia un misogino che utilizza le donne come degli oggetti sessuali. Se lo pensate ci sta pure, ma lui, Alva, potrebbe rispondervi come ha già fatto in passato: “I don’t really think about that [accusations of misogyny]. Normally, I get an idea for a picture and if I can’t think of a good reason not, I take it. I can’t censor my own stuff. That doesn’t bother me much, … you bring your own experiences to a picture. Sometimes I am surprised at the way they’re interpreted, but every opinion is as valid as mine because I haven’t usually formed an opinion before I’ve taken the shot. It’s only later that I work out the ramification. My work isn’t about subtlety. I need a reaction. It’s better to be a bad influence than no influence at all”.
.
.
.
.
.
.
source: photogeekru

Alva Bernadine (Альва Бернадин) родился в Вест-Индии (Гренада) 1961 года. Когда ему исполнилось шесть лет, его родители переехали в Лондон, где фотограф-самоучка живёт и работает по сей день. Хоть Альва и не имеет фотографического образования, показателем его таланта и следственно, успеха в этом деле, являются многочисленные работы для известных журналов: Vogue, GQ и Elle. Кроме этого он является победителем Vogue/Sotheby’s Cecil Beaton Award и дважды номинировался на звание “Эротический фотограф года”.

Альва Бернадин называет свой фотографический стиль “бернандинским коктейлем” в котором он смешивает театральность сюрреализма, элегантность классического снимка и обработку рекламной фотографии.

Альва Бернадин называет себя антипортретистом, настолько редко он фотографирует человеческие лица. Излюбленной его темой являются зеркала, отражающие части женского тела.

Антипортретизм в творчестве Бернадина Альвы
Работы фотографа зачастую производят на зрителя обратный эффект и вызывают критику в адрес Альвы, однако сам фотограф говорит что это лишь особенности мировосприятия конкретного зрителя опирающиеся на его личный опыт, но всё равно благодарит за выраженное мнение, для фотографа оно имеет большое значение вне зависимости от содержания.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
source: arteref

A fotógrafa britânica Alva Bernadine é conhecida por sua mistura única de imagens eróticas, iconografia religiosa e fotografia de moda. Trabalhando há 25 anos, já realizou trabalhos para revistas como Elle e Vogue. “Há sempre um evento em minhas fotos, sempre há algo estranho, surreal ou peculiar ocorrendo. Minhas fotos sempre carregam uma ideia inconvencional. As cores são saturadas e sempre são tiradas em lugares, raramente uso estúdios.”
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
source: desdeaquinet

Alva Bernadine es un fotógrafo nacido en Grenada, uno de los paradisíacos destinos del sureste del Mar Caribe. Creció en Londres desde los 6 años. De formación autodidacta, ha fotografiado para revistas como Vogue, GQ, Elle, entre otras. Fue galardonado con el premio Vogue / Sotheby ‘s Cecil Beaton y también nominado dos veces “Fotógrafo Erótico del Año”.