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TwitterWow. Well, recreating tableaus of great art out of celebrities isn’t new — see Scarlett Johanssen in Girl with a Pearl Earring or even Brangelina unintentionally posing as a van Eyck painting — but People Magazine’s special “Sexy Forever” issue recreated “iconic female images,” two of which are paintings. They say they’re trying to make these icons “hipper” and “hotter” but, well, they just kind of manage to mess up the great works of art. They tackle American Gothic (the mousy young woman becomes a jewelry-laden sex kitten… huh?) but most striking is the one below, of Ann-Margaret as Whistler’s Mother. Maybe it’s just my art-history-nerd self speaking, but they’ve managed to ruin everything important about Whistler’s painting–the harmony of shapes and colors created by her figure and the background are instead taken up by Ann-Margaret, posing away in a huge gown of unfurling circular shapes. Say it with me, art historians: What?!
at 4:50 pm
Ugh – it’s hard to know where to start addressing this abomination! This “iconic female image” is iconic only of ignorance about Whistler and the splendor of his original work. The tragedy — other than the widespread circulation of “People” – is the scant acknowledgement given to his brilliance!
I’m with you — “What?!??”
at 9:45 pm
Hi Chelsea,
Can I ask which issue of People magazine this article was published in, I take it sometime in 2008?
Thanks!!
at 8:23 pm
Hi Donovan. Great question, and I’m embarrassed that I did not write the issue number in the article! Unfortunately, I’ve recycled the magazine since then, but I believe it’s from mid December — I would guess for the week of Dec. 15 (that Monday). I hope that helps, and I apologize for not having more concrete information for you.