Stern Fotografie 70 - Alison Jackson (Stern Fotografie Portfolio) [Hardcover]

The very beautiful Alison Jackson creates some of the most hilariously realistic images of famous people as `performed' by look-alikes. She has an uncanny ability to make us believe what we want to accept as fact when what she has actually done is created a fantasy that feeds on our need to buy into stretched truth.

This wonderfully produced photographic monograph from stern FOTOGRAFIE, Volume 70, gives us what the paparazzi long for - unbelievable situations of famous people completely staged with look alike people that Jackson finds and photographs. The front and back of the book are full page photos of Kate Middleton and Prince William misbehaving in royal attire. Open the book and there is more of the royal couple in embarrassing situations, looking for all the world like the real personalities being imitated. One full page is devoted to Queen Elizabeth sitting, patties down, on the loo, reading a magazine of portraits. And it doesn't stop there - there are dance lines with ill-clad people including Elton John along with the royalty of England, photos of Elton John changing is baby's diapers, Kate and the Queen observing copulating horses, etc.

And just to keep it international in scope, Jackson provides images of Marilyn Monroe - alone and with JFK, President Clinton with a call girl watching Hilary on the tube, prizefighters Obama and Romney in the ring, Tiger Woods with little on except the company of two hookers, George W. Bush with a rifle taking pot shots at a poster of Putin, Osama bin Laden buying L'Oreal hair color...it just goes on and on. The amazing aspect of Alison Jackson's work is that her pictures look completely believable.

There are some fine quotes form the artist: `To be honest, I always hated the effect photography creates, and I think that was the reason I started producing this kind of work.' `Photography tempts us into trusting a photo although we know perfectly well that a picture can never tell the whole truth.' And as the essay in the book ends, `And this was how Allison Jackson became a sculptress of tabloid material. A radical who turns into a photograph even the merest hint of a rumour, every inkling of what might be really going on behind the closed doors of high society and showbiz celebrities.'

This is both a satisfying survey of a unique artist's obsession/work, and an hilarious portfolio that will keep the reader entertained long after closing the colorful covers. Grady Harp, February 13

Shock, outrage, disgust, and hilarity spring from the pages of this book. How could she why would Alison Jackson even think of poking fun of such luminaries and beloved members of our society? It's quite simple, she's not poking fun of them, but rather at those who inanely idolize them. Put them on a pedestal and we're there to drool over them, fully exercising our voyeuristic tendencies. Mind you, most anyone would be outraged by seeing Queen Elizabeth II sitting on her throne reading a magazine with her lace panties heading south. So what if she uses Angel Soft and reads "Corgi?" Not to worry, the woman on the loo is simply a look-alike and the paparazzi didn't drill a hole in the wall to catch sight of her in all her splendor.

Jackson, who even parodies Michael of the same last name, claims, "I don't want to judge or condemn celebrities. I'm simply not interested in them. My work is about how obsessed we are with them." The tabloids have nothing on her, but perhaps would be interested in that photograph of Lady Gaga checking out a side of beef. Want to see Mitt Romney and Barack Obama duking it out for "real?" And the winner is ... well, you'll have to check out Ms. Jackson panorama of what really happened in the ring. Is that Marilyn Monroe? Don't all rush to see what she is doing.

Alison Jackson's portrayal of society and our obsession with it, is no less than amazing. Admittedly, had I not known about her work, I probably would have pored over it astonished that any photographer had caught "them" in the act. Many of the photographs are grainy, as if they had been taken in the dark or by stealth methods. Photography is an art form, and Ms. Jackson has perfected the art of forcing us to look at ourselves looking at others. If you want to be a voyeur and then have a few good laughs, this book will certainly do the trick.

This book courtesy of the publisher.

When I first picked up this book I didn't know what to expect. I didn't really notice that the picture of what looked to be Kate Middleton on the cover showed her in a royal cloak that was slightly open at the front making it look like she was wearing nothing underneath. As I paged through the book and saw that photo on the inside along with one of Prince William in a similar mode of attire, I was amazed that photos like this could have been published. And they kept getting more outrageous like the Queen sitting on the loo with her panties down around her knees, reading a magazine and Marylin Monroe with President Kennedy in suggestive poses. Then I came to the page in large type, presumably by Alison Jackson, the photographer that reads: "They are all look-alikes, and they are great fun and are really great at working to the detail that I have to." I have to admit that she had me fooled.

This is a large coffee table sized book, 11 x 14 inches. Most of the photos are somewhat grainy as you might expect for these types of photos. It's the kind of book you'd leave out on the coffee table only when children aren't expected to be present since there are several photos that are meant for adult viewing. It's cleverly done with lots of celebrity look-alikes, including Mick Jaggar, Elton John, President Obama, Mitt Romney, Micheal Jackson, Brad Pitt, Angelina Jolie, Bill Gates, Osama Bin Ladin, Bill Clinton and even Mother Theresa. There were also a few that I didn't recognize. Alison Jackson's statement on one of the pages: "I don't want to judge or condemn celebrities. I'm simply not interested in them. My work is about how obsessed we are with them," kind of says it all. The book doesn't claim that the characters are who we think they are, it is up to the viewer's imagination to jump to that conclusion. It would certainly be a conversation starter as a coffee table book. The forward and comments are written in both English and German.

I received a review copy of this book from TeNeues Publishing.