Privilege

Jessica Craig-Martin is the master (or perhaps we can still say mistress in this context) of the dark side of the glamour world and society pages. However, this claim is not for her charming images of socialites but rather the devilish details that normally escape the tidy veneer of these elevated worlds. Carefully cropped photographs eliminate the faces of her subjects, yet focus on the make-up, the augmented breasts, the jewels and sequins, the manicured nails and de hors de d oeuvres. The result is a captivating and realistic photographic essay on fashion, fantasy and illusion that is presented through 67 full-page colour photographs and accompanied by short essays from Glenn O Brien and Angus Cook.