ATLANTA, GEORGIA — The Savannah College of Art and Design is thrilled to present the exhibition Ellen von Unwerth: This Side of Paradise, opening May 18, 2023, at SCAD FASH Museum of Fashion + Film in Atlanta. Curated by SCAD FASH creative director Rafael Gomes, This Side of Paradise presents more than 50 photographs and fashion films from celebrated photographer Ellen von Unwerth's vast editorial and artistic repertoire.
"The exuberant Ellen von Unwerth shows SCAD students how to plot a truly polymathic career: director, photographer, author, storyteller, stylist, model, provocateur. This Side of Paradise at SCAD FASH promises to be the show of the season in Atlanta, and a spectacle worth seeing up close."
Paula Wallace | SCAD President and Founder
Von Unwerth is one of fashion's most soughtafter photographers, revered for her provocative yet poignant images that amplify bold sensuality and the joy of identity's unique fluidity — themes that have carried throughout her work for more than three decades. Inspired by von Unwerth's Paris studio, the atmospheric exhibition at SCAD FASH emulates a mischievous and raucous party through a dazzling curation of the artist's trademark images brimming with movement, decadence, and glamour. Come face to face with fashion VIPs and cultural icons as seen through von Unwerth's lens, including portraits of Beyoncé, Rihanna, Lady Gaga, Janet Jackson, RuPaul, Britney Spears, Naomi Campbell, Paris Hilton, Christina Aguilera, Zoë Kravitz, Alton Mason, and others. This Side of Paradise's film component includes projections of von Unwerth's stimulating and exuberant short fashion films featuring characters played by Coco Rocha, Miley Cyrus, and Georgia May Jagger.
"I am so proud and thankful to SCAD FASH for dedicating this show to me. This Side of Paradise is the place to be! The show reflects my vision of a society with no boundaries, of celebration, intimacy, love, friendship, fun, and glitter — even a little devil is allowed in. I hope everyone who visits enjoys this exhibition!"
Ellen von Unwerth
Von Unwerth began her career as a model in Europe. Constrained by the rigidity demanded of models at the time, she transitioned to a role behind the lens. Photography became the medium by which she shared her personality and artistic vision with the world. Throughout her career, von Unwerth has been celebrated for her distinct style and ability to portray electric narratives through her images and films. Her advertising campaigns for Guess, Agent Provocateur, Absolut, Chanel, Tommy Hilfiger, MAC Cosmetics, Baccarat, H&M, Dior, A.P.C., and Belvedere, among others, remain legendary. She is a longtime collaborator with the world's most revered fashion, art, and lifestyle publications including Vogue, Elle, Glamour, i-D, Interview, Numéro, Paper Magazine, Playboy, and GQ. An accomplished author, von Unwerth has published bestselling books showcasing her powerful photography including Snaps (1994), Wicked (1998), Couples (1999), Revenge (2003), and Fräulein (2009).
"Ellen von Unwerth is one of the industry's most enigmatic personalities and photographers — her style is truly one-of-a-kind, and her images and fifilms are spontaneous, playful, bold, and seductive. Ellen's thrilling body of work is an inspiration to so many of our SCAD students and it is an honor to present this exhilarating showcase at SCAD FASH."
Rafael Gomes | SCAD FASH creative director
On the occasion of the exhibition, the museum will host an exclusive reception and conversation with von Unwerth and journalist, editor, and curator Stefano Tonchi, followed by a masquerade party with an avant-garde dress code. SCAD students from the top-ranked degree programs of photography, fashion, advertising and branding, film and television, and luxury brand management will have the opportunity to engage with the artist through portfolio reviews, artist talks, and other programming.
The opening of This Side of Paradise inaugurates the university's signature SCAD FASHION 2023 weekend in Atlanta, a film and runway showcase of innovative and original collections from students within SCAD's prestigious School of Fashion. Von Unwerth will be a featured guest for the weekend's festivities and the esteemed recipient of the SCAD Étoile, recognizing the artist's illustrious contributions to fashion, photography, and film.
Ellen von Unwerth: This Side of Paradise is on view at SCAD FASH Atlanta through January 8, 2024.
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ABOUT THE ARTIST
Ellen von Unwerth (b. 1954, Frankfurt, Germany) began her career as a model in Germany and France, but quickly transitioned to a role behind the lens, drawing inspiration from her early experiences in her effusively glamorous photographs. Across her decades-long career, von Unwerth has gained recognition for her work on campaigns for Chanel, Dior, Miu Miu, Azzedine Alaïa, Agent Provocateur, Guess, Jimmy Choo, Ferragamo, and Absolut, among countless others. Her photographs appear frequently in the pages of Vogue, i-D, Interview, Elle, Vanity Fair, Glamour, and Playboy. Von Unwerth has also directed short films, music videos, and commercials, and published several pivotal titles combining fiction, photography, and femme empowerment. She has been honored with first prize at the International Festival of Fashion Photography in 1991, a LUCIE Award for Fashion Photography in 2019, a Royal Photographic Society Award in 2020, and an Iconic Photographer Influencer Award in 2021.
SCAD FASH MUSEUM OF FASHION + FILM
SCAD FASH Museum of Fashion + Film celebrates fashion as a universal language, garments as important conduits of identity, and film as an immersive and memorable medium of popular culture. Situated within SCAD Atlanta, the museum presents dynamic exhibitions, captivating films, and enticing events that mine the rich and storied legacies of fashion history to inspire contemporary designers and future innovations. Supported by the university's strong global presence and connections to renowned contemporary fashion designers, filmmakers, and creative professionals around the world, SCAD FASH is an integral part of the SCAD educational experience.
Like the award-winning SCAD Museum of Art, SCAD FASH serves as a creative resource for students of all ages and a wellspring of inspiration for visitors. Through programming that engages the university's broad array of academic disciplines, SCAD FASH offers diverse exhibitions, films, installations, performances, and events to enliven and inspire the greater community year-round. Each program is designed to engage and appeal to visitors with varied backgrounds and interests, from textiles and jewelry to photography and film. Past exhibitions have featured the work of designers Christian Siriano, Robert Wun, Ruth E. Carter, Azzedine Alaïa, Pierre Cardin, Carolina Herrera, Mary Katrantzou, Guo Pei, and Oscar de la Renta. Photographic exhibitions have featured the work of Robert Fairer, Albert Watson, Jonathan Becker, Bill Cunningham, and Omar Victor Diop. Exhibitions are accompanied by curated film series that complement programming. Past SCAD commissioned films include Pierre Cardin: Le Futur, The First Monday in May, Funny Face, The Leopard, and Ovation for Oscar, among others.
SCAD: THE UNIVERSITY FOR CREATIVE CAREERS
SCAD is a private, nonprofit, accredited university, offering 100 graduate and undergraduate degree programs across locations in Atlanta and Savannah, Georgia; Lacoste, France; and online via SCADnow. SCAD enrolls more than 17,500 undergraduate and graduate students from more than 120 countries. The future-minded SCAD curriculum engages professional-level technology and myriad advanced learning resources, affording students opportunities for internships, professional certifications, and real-world assignments with corporate partners through SCADpro, the university's renowned research lab and prototype generator.
SCAD is No. 1 in the U.S., according to Art & Object's 2023 Best Art Schools ranking, with additional top rankings for degree programs in interior design, architecture, film, fashion, digital media, and more. Career success is woven into every fiber of the university, resulting in a superior alumni employment rate. A 2023 study found that 99% of SCAD graduates were employed, pursuing further education, or both within 10 months of graduation. SCAD provides students and alumni with ongoing career support through personal coaching, alumni programs, a professional presentation studio, and more. Visit scad.edu.