Famous for its images of some of the world’s most beautiful women in scanty attire, the Pirelli Calendar takes a rather different approach to its subject matter this year. The 2004 version retains seductive images, but this time reworked in an entirely more artistic vein.
Stylised shots of models such as Alek Wek, Karolina Kurkova and Liberty Ross have been digitally altered by British photographer Nick Knight for an effect that is fantastical and dreamlike. The June image of Japanese model Ai is splattered with a Pollock-esque paint effect reminiscent of a field of coloured blooms, for example, while September models Natalia Vodinova and Frankie Rayder exist in a wavering Sixties time warp.
"We wanted something completely different," said a spokesperson for Pirelli. Described as blending "art with seduction", the calendar, which is a favourite of garage mechanics, had a little more female input on the creative side, too, this year. Among those involved in a consultancy role were timeless beauty Isabella Rossellini, Lord Of The Rings star Liv Tyler, and Icelandic pop singer Bjork.
Along with other famous figures from the worlds of entertainment and fashion, they were asked to contribute their idea of female sexuality, which Knight then illustrated. “I feared that the calendar might propose a vision of woman from the exclusively masculine viewpoint,” the photographer explains. “So for this project I decided to ask the women what they would like to see represented in a Pirelli Calendar, leaving them to choose the theme”.
Photo: © Alphapress.com
Photo: © Alphapress.com
