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I.N.R.I.

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The cover of this book will make some outraged at first but I strongly recommend they read the text and then view the photos again. Unlike some photographers who use modern religious images to purposely provoke Christians this book is provocative yet very respectful of religion. The ancient telling of Christs life is beautifully shown in the setting of today with thought provoking images ranging from angels to his birth.Good view.

That's right, this is Christ's life and gospels portrayed as if it were for a special millenial edition of Vogue. Quick summary: lots of dramatic stills of beautiful, androgenous, young adults playing the roles of Christ, Mary, the Apostles, Judas, etc. in contemporary settings like a garage (aka, the manger) or a ghetto in the USA.

Even if you are staunchly anti-christian, the images have their own evocative appeal. Re-envisioning the monopoly of renaissance icongraphy into contemporary media and form is an interesting premise (which the book jacket alludes to) but the images smack too much of hipsterism and model-pretty allure to stand as a serious enough retelling of an old story. It does, however, reinvigorate and loosen the stodgy fixity that bibil ical references often have for many folks. (I realize these last two sentences may sound a bit at odds with each other but the book does bring up contradictory feelings). The book may bring up questions of blashpemy but I think the textual support helps substantiate the photographs which otherwise would appear as mere stylizations passing for something more meaningful. There's quite a bit of frontal nudity which may offend many Christians and prudes but as the Book of Ecclesiastes says, and I only paraphrase, "For what does a person who has never experienced temptation really know?".

Like Renaissance artists who transposed the Jesus-story to Florence, the famous French Photographer Bettina Rheims (* December 18, 1952, Neuilly-sur-Seine, Paris, descendant of Amschel Moses Rothschild) and Serge Bramly (* January 31, 1949, Tunisia, now french philosopher and scientist of art history) tried to ignore the visual traditions, largely that of the Renaissance, willing to create a new modern iconography by turning the subject to photography. A little bit irritating, because the project is fluctuating between serious art and stylistic kitsch, influenced by quotations of art-history and, on the other hand, influenced by modern advertising camerawork. Illustrating the 'Xmas-scene in the stable to Bethlehem they try an optical translation into our present: Jesus is born in the location of an automobile repair workshop illuminated by the pair of headlights of a small transporter van. Instead of a donkey a cat watches the birth, mother Maria sits easily dressed not on straw but on a cement bag, in place of shepherds some garage-mechanics hurried in, who present daisy-flowers to Mary, taking care not to stamp into the puddles of oil on the floor. Of course it is an impressive, strange attack on our figurative conception traditions, which can be forgotten not easily. We see the naked-dancing Salome with the bloody head of the Johannes on the tray; we see Mary Magdalene with legs spread, breasts exposed and stiletto heels; we see locations in the Hospital Cochin, others on the isle Mallorca - and after all (or at first?) we are shocked by Jesus hanging on the cross as a naked young woman, clad only in a loincloth - seen on the book cover; but if you are looking inside, you will notice, that the woman is crucified on the left cross of three, the middle-cross is empty, on the right side you will notice a man. But please consider: Jesus' crucifixion is a symbol for every human being, women inclusive. Nevertheless it provoked just enough outrage in Europe. However I think this project shows an acceptable way of searching for a new kind of modern iconography. Between all infuriated sacrilege-sensitive souls of the political correctness-wing you can find some amusing stories of art-reception: The models, actors and musicians, posing for the great last evening diner-scene - they a few weeks later established a music group with the name "12 Apostles". Bettina Rheims and Serge Bramly linked gravity and irony, majesty and triviality - maybe this is the sort of esprit, which can only prosper in France ...