Dead, Pretty Things

"Death is the mother of Beauty." -Wallace Stevens Perhaps I still have some emo-residue from 2005, but every once in awhile it's nice to embrace something morbid. Maybe to give oneself a new zeal for life, or perhaps you're a closeted necrophiliac, in which case I recommend you schedule a meeting with your nearest therapist. OWN recently penned a post about the prominence of post-apocalyptic fashion this fall. From looking at ornate gold and ivory jaw-bone necklaces and the abundance of skulls, it seems that death is an implicit quality within this movement. This theme is also being echoed in the world of art as well. John Pusateri is a New Zealand based lithographer whose depictions of dead birds are incredibly stunning. On his website, the artist questions former practices of organizations such as The Audobon Society, which would kill nearly extinct birds in the name of "preservation." The works of art are so inspiring that it almost makes one want to take up taxidermy as a hobby. Whether it's colorful sparrows or crows, Pusateri has proven that he is adept at making our beloved sky-rats look even more stunning posthumously. When looking at the pieces, I half expected to see Tippi Hedren amongst the carcasses or a sly Alfred Hitchcock winking in the background. Stephen Meisel and Vogue Italia have collaborated to create something similar to Pusateri's work for their August issue. Meisel is known for making provocative images, but I have to say that this one takes the cake regarding his work in recent years. The shoot, a tribute to the recent Gulf oil spill, depicts oil-covered models lying in desolate beaches. It's a sort of "BP Fashion Project," if you will. Whether they're projectile vomiting, or still as stone, it is no question that the photographs are embracing the destructive force that is Death. Meisel still manages to make the models enchanting, however. The photographs have a quality about them that never leaves you. The spread begs two questions to be answered: 1) Is the shoot stunning because of the technical and creative direction of Meisel, or is it because that Death itself is stunning? 2)Do you think this is what Kate Moss looks like when she wakes up every morning? Please don't misconstrue. OWN is not advocating that you begin cutting yourself or pull a Fantasia-style publicity stunt. We're just saying that maybe you should invest in a coffin bed and put some dead animals on your walls. Maybe incorporate a human skull somehow. *John Pusateri's work can be seen in Auckland, New Zealand and Vogue Italia is now on news stands worldwide.

OWN magazine  8/12/2010 12:57 EDT