James Mullinger – 20 August 2009 14:59
I have just been given a sneak preview of photographer Frederic Aranda’s new photography exhibition, Kosherface, and was blown away. Boasting seven years of photographs of Orthodox Jewish Rabbis, this is a unique, unseen body of work on a private community. Approaching the subject from inside, but as a fashion photographer, he has created something really quite unique.
Ever since he was shortlisted by the Times as the Young Photographer of the Year 2005, Frederic Aranda has been one of the world’s most exciting fashion and portrait photographers. A regular contributor to British and international editions of Vanity Fair, Vogue, Sunday Times Style and of course GQ, he has worked with prominent figures in politics, entertainment and fashion. And that’s not to mention his truly iconic photograph of HRH Prince Philip.
In his final year at Oxford University, Aranda rented a room in the household of the Lubavitch rabbi in Oxford. For 12 months, this room became a photographic studio, with rabbis and their families being photographed there on a daily basis. In the seven years since, Aranda has spent time amongst the Lubavitch community in Brooklyn and travelled to places as diverse as Tokyo, Milan, Paris and Berlin to explore the Lubavitch world.
This arresting collection of work focuses on the distinctive Chabad-Lubavitch rabbis and their families. Rabbis are captured in modern aesthetic terms, reflecting their ability to embrace the 21st century. Aranda invites viewers to discover a thoroughly updated, colourful vision of a world willing to really open its doors for the very first time.
The exhibition runs from 13 November to 2 December 2009 at London’s coolest new gallery space, theprintspace gallery, Shoreditch. Interest will be high in this truly unique selection of pictures so I highly recommend booking early. If you can’t wait that long he has kindly put a selection of the images on his website for GQ.COM readers.
The View the Gallery: Click Here
u all r such haters the man took some really nice pictures if our people and alll you can say is Oh he’s viewing us as if we r aliens. hey mayb your the one who views ur self as an alien. but wat thte photogrpher did isnt meann. he took pictures of r people dont b disgusted by it. ONE TRACT MINDED: everyone who isnt jewish is atuomaticly viewing us as aliens and they hate us????? u peoople dont make sense to me, getalife
… I’ve been involved with this photographers work and, from the perspective of someone who is usually skeptical about these kind of things, I’m really enthusiastic about this project. The artist is exploring his Jewish identity through his work on Lubavitch which can only be a kidush Hashem whether you like the shots or not. Moreover, the fact that he is spending time with Lubavitchers – families, mashpiim, teachers, kids, shluchim, at simchos, in homes, on shlichus, on miftzoyim, etc. – and getting to know them isn’t showing them ‘as if they are aliens’ … he’s actually capturing a real… Read more »
on the various medias, maybe we would make sure that we are really good role models (I speak for myself only)
I think it;s great that someone from outside the community spent time with us and took such wonderful pictures, we should be gretful
its very typical and interesting. were interesting people. BE PROUD 🙂
as if they are aliens
Looks like these pictures are just a preview, interested to see the rest of the show..
its like col and all these other websites
Secular Phtogoraphers never show happiness of Chassidim. Where are the Freilich Pictures? I swear, these pictures could have been bearded misnagdim in Vilna.
Secular or goyish photographers think if they have a chussid in their picture that it makes it automatically interesting.
I’m not impressed. He plays more with lighting and coloration in his other fashion shots.
Some truly beautiful pictures. Glad that’s not my son sleeping in Bais Medrash! (or least caught on this camera and published on the net………………)