Left to right: Dagmara, "Elizabeth and the Twins"; Jeff Stella, "Kurt Elling: Jacket Required" and Michael Voltattorni, "Untitled"
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City Gallery in the Historic Water Tower
Department of Cultural Affairs
Telephone: 312.744.6630
All photographs copyright © 2001 the photographers
Photo at far right: "Olivia" by Dagmara
Photo below: Sarah Spaskauskas in
"Jackets Required" by Jeff Stella
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Chicago Fashion Photography: ConnectingSeptember 25 - December 30, 2001Photographs by three Chicago fashion photographers -- Dagmara, Jeff Stella and Michael Voltattorni -- are on display at City Gallery in the Historic Water Tower. Titled Connecting, the exhibition demonstrates how the look of the masses and the elite have become intertwined and that fashion is no longer exclusively for the rich. Exhibition curator Barbara Glass, fashion editor at NBC5, explains, "In this century, our entire lifestyles, including art, music, food, architecture, ethnic cultures and film, continue to collide and merge with the world of fashion. It's all about connecting."
Jeff Stella's installation, titled Jacket Required, is a 6.5 by 17-foot photo-grid composed of 56 portraits of local musicians. Each musician is wearing the same black jacket in a different way: one woman has it draped around her head like a turban, while another has it draped around her shoulders like a cape (photo at left). Stella's work has appeared in Interview, Vogue, Playboy and GQ. He has worked with the stars of The Producers, Nathan Lane and Matthew Brodrick.
Designers whose fashions are featured in this exhibition include Cat Chow, Maria Pinto, Cynthia Rowley and Pamela Vanderlinde. Jewelry is from Stefany B; stylist is Mia Velez Fortuna. Connecting is sponsored by Marshall Field's Project Imagine. Project Imagine is part of Marshal Field's commitment to supporting arts and cultural institutions in the community. City Gallery is dedicated to displaying Chicago-themed photographs by Chicago photographers. A project of the Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs, the gallery is curated by the Chicago Public Art Program and managed by the Chicago Office of Tourism in collaboration with the Chicago Water Department. |
Dagmara shows eight color photogaphs inspired by Chicago's ethnic neighborhoods. Among the locations she used for her photographs are a kosher deli, a Baptist church and a religious botanica that sells candies and icons. Her photographs have appeared in Elle Magazine, Chicago Magazine, Today's Chicago Woman, and many others.
Michael Voltattorni ("Untitled", at right) shows eight black and white photographs that superimpose female fashion models over images of landmark Chicago architecture. The images have a metallic tone to them and are mounted on aluminum. His fashion work has been seen in CS, Angeleno, W, Bazaar, Allure and the Chicago Tribune Magazine. He is also a portrait photographer and has exhibited in many Chicago galleries; he is also working on his second book for Charlie Trotter's Restaurant.