Tuesday 28 August 2012

LADY ELEANOR ART BOOK REVIEW: Motel Fetish - Chas Ray Kryder and Eric Kroll

Release Date: 15/05/12

SYNOPSIS:

Behind closed doors. Lustful places, luscious women. A number of years ago I began to see distinctive layouts in "Hustler's Leg World" that got me nervous. The photographs were that good. Whoever it was had style and made the women his women. Krider women. Women I began to desire on a monthly basis. In the world of professional golf there is an expression "the world's greatest golfer not to win a major tournament." Chas Ray Krider was the world's greatest erotic photographer not to have a book. Thanks to TASCHEN we now have over 160 Krider images to pore over. To salivate over. Like a good film noir, he takes us to lustful places. Is it a crime scene or a sea of lust? These beautiful, languid women wait for whom? For me. For you. They play the "waiting game" beautifully. An ass in the air, a pair of crossed legs in nylons, all bathed in warm tones. A still life unstuck in time. So this is what goes on behind closed doors? Oh, I almost forgot. Alongside these many Midwest femme fatales is Dita, raven-haired icon. Not since Betty Page has a woman fleshed out so correctly a vintage girdle and bra ensemble. Enjoy. He takes you places where you only vaguely think you have been. Eric Kroll, editor and pupil.


REVIEW:

As a fan of Pin Up Art I’m always interested in the perception of the form in the 50’s. As such this book by Chas Kryder seemed to be right up my street especially with Dita Von Tease appearing within. Sadly for me this book feels more like one man’s personal choices of photographs for his own gratification rather than the fun images of fetish wear of the fifties represented by models like Bettie Page.

Unfortunately for me, the images within felt cheap, tacky and with the photographers choice of cheap nasty charity “vintage” lingerie that was taken in what felt like a seedy motel room without the benefit of being staged. Add to this, models that look bored with the poses and look like they’re having as much fun as someone getting smacked in the face with a wet fish which all round left this title feeling fairly flat.

Finally the photographers writing and use of language felt over stuffed with ego fluffing that when read made me feel that this was more about power alongside personal preferences rather than exploring the fetish world of the fifties with a fun attitude. All in for me this was a great disappointment.



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