Dreamgirls, House of Fuzuli, Istanbul

Duration: 17 December 2019 - 30 January 2020

Artist: Rohn Meijer

90s. The years when super models ravaged the catwalks, and left a mark not only in the fashion world, but also in our memories. Fashion has an important role in our aesthetic and cultural progress. It defines individuals and generations with different styles and trends it creates. Each decade signifies a renaissance in fashion and a memory in history. And 90’s surely are unforgettable in the nostalgic time capsule of fashion, because of its protagonists; the supermodels and the fashion photographers that capture the world of these amazing pop culture ikons.

Throughout his lengthy career of 35 years of fashion photography, Rohn Meijer, has been a prominent figure capturing the backstage moments of the super models in Milan fashion shows. The exhibition showcases a selection of portraits of models such as Kate Moss, Claudia Schiffer, Tatjana Patitz, Linda Evangelista, Eva Herzigova, Christy Turlington from the epic fashion shows of designers like Versace, Ferre, Jil Sander, Blumarine and Rıfat Özbek.

The clarity in his photos and the powerful poses Rohn captures, punctuates what these women have in common ; confidence, allure and glamour. They are natural, contrary to the artificial and common beauty standards of today, they are perfect with their imperfections. What these photos reveal is a form of self-expression, a form of rebellion. A beauty that is sexy but not vulgar, romantic but not dull and an irresistable aura. Therefore, they are unforgettable.

They are different from each other. Rohn’s talent has been in capturing the diversity and the different light in each of these women. During the intimate moments of pre and post catwalk, he observed and captured their fragilities, their moments of solitude in a moment of escape from the excellence that expects them in the catwalk.
Kate - in a pure and innocent manner, Eva - with a smile brightening her face, Linda - with a big laugh, Claudia and Liv - in the comfort of leaving themselves in the professional hands, Helena and Christy - with the gaze disappearing in the distance.

Many of us look back on the 90’s with fond memories, and the new generations find it contemporary. With the super models and masterful fashion photographers, those years represent a natural and real aesthtetics. Rohn Meijer’s photos taken with classic methods and effective lightning, takes us to the dreamy world of that decade.

Curator
Ayşe Pınar Akalın