Kate Caswell (E17ck) Fashion communication
Contemporary and contextual studies First year
Review ‘Fur: An Imaginary Portrait’ with reference to Diane Arbus’s work and Susan Sontag’s essay America, Seen Through Photographs, Darkly’. ‘Fur: An imaginary Portrait of Diane Arbus’ was directed by Steven Shainberg, and based on the life of photographer Diane Arbus, one of the most controversial photographers of the twentieth century. In the film, Diane Arbus is seen to move away from her husband and family’s photography work, after photographing her hypertrichosis neighbour Lionel Sweeney (Robert Downey, Jr). Arbus encounters a whirlwind romance with Sweeney. Causing her to be torn between her relationship with her husband and her lover. Lionel is seen to introduce the protagonist to a new world of people and a ‘transvalue of beauty and ugliness’ (Sontag, 1977 p27), which will change the history of photography. An interesting aspect of this film is subject and it’s overall affects on the quality of the film. Diane Arbus acts as one of the most important subjects throughout the plot, both as an artist and the way the title film suggests it takes a fictional view on her life. This shown through the use of ‘Imaginary Portrait’, which in one reading could be Diane and her life, that her work represents her personality, more than a photograph of herself could. Diane Arbus was an American photographer who married her childhood sweetheart Allan Arbus, a photographer and actor. Whom, she worked with to create Fashion photographs, contributed greatly to Seventeen, Vogue and various other magazines; Diane being said to take the role as art director. However in the film she is presented as either being extremely modest or doing very little towards this. Despite this it is said that neither of them had interest in the fashion world. The film sticks to these ideas fairly accurately, right down to their two children and Diane’s family. However I can’t help but feel there is more of an emphasis on fashion as a key part of their lives, especially Allen’s. Which makes their relationship seem very troubled from the outset, something that is not noted in the history of Diane. However I do understand that in affect to the plot as a whole this feels more plausible. Similarly the film fails to take into account Arbus’ already distinguished photography background of her working with Lisette Model (Fig.1) and Berenice Abbott, shown as an inspiration in much of her work (Fig.2). The film however makes it seem as though Arbus was simple a women who happened to pick up a camera, not the skilled artists she was. 1
Fig.1 Lisette Model, c. 1939
Fig.2. Diane Arbus, 1970 Mexican Dwarf in His Hotel Room
Kate Caswell (E17ck) Fashion communication
Contemporary and contextual studies First year
Despite the separation of Allan and Diane in 1959, there was in fact no record of a romance with any Lionel Sweeney or any of Arbus’ other subjects. Which brings us to our next point on subjects and the ‘imaginary portrait’. Lionel is a purely fictional character, which has to be taken into account when analysing the film. For this reason it’s clear that the ‘imaginary portrait’ could be used to describe Lionel, as much of the plot is centred on Dianne taking his Fig. 3. Fur: An Imaginary Portrait of Diane Arbus, portrait. Whilst their relationship is seen to (2006) be highly sexual and almost crude, it is seen to come to a climax when she prepares him for his portrait and their relationship is based solely on fetishes. In one view this could be seen as demeaning by compare this to Arbus’ life, that she is just some sex-crazed women who is run by her emotions and desires. Emphasising her unusual personality and supressed nature, making it seem as though she was some kind of freak, that she states herself ‘you think I’m strange, even our children think I’m strange’ (Fur: An imaginary portrait, 2006). I find this an interesting concept, as the subject of Arbus in both the film and real life are people who at the time would have been considered freaks themselves. That these are the people she feels fascinated by and the film considers that she feels most comfortable around, that it is possible she considers herself to hold Fig.4. Diane Arbus similarities to. However it could be seen as liberating to see a women feel able to not be sexualised but still be involved in clearly sexualised scenes. (Fig3) This scene shown to be clearly based around one of Diane’s photographs of an old man and a prostitute (Fig.4). Having said this, the prostitute is clearly sexualised, it could however be seen as she is equally as sexualised as the man. The use of Diane’s life as inspiration could allow the audience to imagine what the full scene 2
Fig.5. Fur: An Imaginary Portrait of Diane Arbus(2006)
Fig. 5. Fur: An Imaginary Portrait of Diane Arbus, (2006) Fig.6. Fur: An Imaginary Portrait of Diane Arbus (2006)
Kate Caswell (E17ck) Fashion communication
Contemporary and contextual studies First year
may have been like. This sense of freedom of choice is also shown in Diane’s choice to go up to see Lionel, despite the fact he sends the key down through the drainage system, she physically makes the movement up to his apartment (Fig. 5). Elevating her to his level, to a new way of thinking ‘to prove that humanity is “one” and human beings for all their flaws and villainies, are attractive creatures’ (Sontag, 1977 p32). This being seen to extend as the film goes on and the subjects of her photographs move down to her level. This could be viewed as her introducing these views to the world she is surrounded by, these views rejected by her husband and family. Both these movements of going up could be seen as a movement up from the world she sees around her and symbolise the movement her work would later show in the view of beauty as universal, that ‘no moment more important than any other moment; no person is more interesting than any other person’ (Sontag, 1977 p29).
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Kate Caswell (E17ck) Fashion communication
Contemporary and contextual studies First year
Although it is in comparison very different to be Arbus’ real relationships with her subjects, that she is seen to have to make a friendship and a connection with her subjects, reflected in her variety of people which she photographs. This could therefore be seen as the ‘imaginary portrait’ being the way Diane views herself and others, that she sees herself equal to her subjects, as though the photo is of her. Even though many of her subjects had disabilities or would have not fitted the norm of the time, for example trans genders and prostitutes for photography at the time. This idea of a trust and friendship developed between her and the subjects of her photographs, is really well presented and both the beginning and the end of the film through the scenes with the nudists. I think the film has really done well in Fig.7. Fur: An Imaginary Portrait of Diane showing Arbus’ sensitive and Arbus(2006) understanding nature at this point, especially the closing scene of her with the young girl when they are shown to share a secret (fig.5). I do feel that this concept was lost throughout the film with her interactions with Lionel and the other ‘freaks’ as it is seen to be a lot more sexual; this indeed may have been done for cinematic effect to show character development from fascination to understanding. The final thing, which I feel is key in the film, is the title “Fur” and the roles it plays within the film. The first image revealed to the audience of fur, is the fur coat and collection in Arbus’ fur coat company fashion show. This seen to be key in the careers of both Allan and Diane; despite the film version of Diane herself stating she had little to do with the business herself. Fur as a fashion object seems to be an underlying running theme throughout the film, as Lionel is seen to make wigs from his hair (Fig.6); which could be considered in it’s own right as fur. The key difference between the fur coats and Lionel’s fur wigs being the use of force. He has a choice to create these wigs, which seems to be for a positive and forward thinking use for both funeral work and for the use by transvestites (Fig.7). This as a still creates an image which is similar to much of Diane Arbus’ photographs 4
Fig.8. Diane Arbus ( 1962)
Kate Caswell (E17ck) Fashion communication
Contemporary and contextual studies First year
which included performs (fig.8), therefore creating an interesting link between the two. In my opinion Fur, stands for itself as a fairy-tale or fantasy film but to link it to Diane Arbus is to make it seem mocking and as though she is not the serious photographer which she was. I feel the title, ‘an Imaginary Portrait’ is seen to reflect the portrait of Diane, not physically but her spirit and the story her photographs tell. Even though in reality it is difficult to capture the true story behind a photograph, it reveals as much as it wants to, as Susan Sontag said ‘subjects are always revealing themselves’ (Sontag, 1977 p37). It’s reading is different depending on the audience, it is very subjective and left to the audience’s imagination. What is interesting about her work is the ‘mystery of Arbus’ photographs lies in what they suggest her subjects felt after consenting to being photographed’ (Sontag, 1977 p36), something which I feel the film helped represent and tried to reveal some of the ‘secrets’. When it comes to it, so is the story of the photographer; as their work not only shows a story of their subject but also an aspect of their inner self. Reflecting her thoughts, opinions and views of people and situations. This is something that I feel that the film not only represents, in terms of Diane’s views to her photography but also is the director’s view of Diane’s life and career, with a slight fictional twist, which I feel helps still keep the mystery. In a way by stating that it is fictional does not try to assume aspects of Diane’s thinking or personal life but uses her talent as an inspiration.
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Kate Caswell (E17ck) Fashion communication
Contemporary and contextual studies First year
List of Images Fig. 1 Lisette Model (1939), Lower East Side, New York (gelatin silver print) http://cybermuse.gallery.ca/cybermuse/showcases/model/index_e.jsp, accessed 3rd April 2015 Fig. 2 Diane Arbus (1970), Mexican dwarf in his Hotel Room, New York (geletin silver print) https://www.liveauctioneers.com/item/2510024 accessed 3rd April 2015 Fig. 3 Fur: An Imaginary Portrait of Diane Arbus, Still from film (2006) http://bobnational.net/record/139790 Accessed 20th April 2015 Fig 4: Diane Arbus (n/a) Prostitute and an old man http://diane-arbusphotography.com Accessed 3rd April 2015 Fig.5 Fur: An Imaginary Portrait of Diane Arbus, Still from film (2006) http://bobnational.net/record/139790 Accessed 20th April 2015 Fig. 6 Fur: An Imaginary Portrait of Diane Arbus, Still from film (2006) http://bobnational.net/record/139790 Accessed 20th April 2015 Fig.7 Fur: An Imaginary Portrait of Diane Arbus, Still from film (2006) http://bobnational.net/record/139790 Accessed 20th April 2015 Fig.8 Fur: An Imaginary Portrait of Diane Arbus, Still from film (2006) http://bobnational.net/record/139790 Accessed 20th April 2015 Fig.9 Diane Arbus (1962), Two Female Impersanators at a dressing table, New York http://www.christies.com/lotfinder/photographs/diane-arbus-two-femaleimpersonators-at-a-5056751-details.aspx Accessed 20th April 2015 Bibliography Fur: An Imaginary Portrait of Diane Arbus (2006) Directed by Steven Shainberg. USA Sontag.S, (1977) On photograph: America. Seen Through Photographs Darkly, Penguin Publications
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