Royals and celebs are made fun of in this exhibition.
William and Kate reading Spare together in bed while enjoying a bite to eat. Queen Elizabeth taking a selfie with her grandchildren. Anyone who isn’t paying close attention could easily believe that these photos are real. Yet the twist is different: it is the work of artist Alison Jackson, whose work will soon be on display in the Photo Museum at the Vrijthof.
Celebs and royals
As Glamials we naturally follow our favorite royals, Hollywood stars and celebrities closely. But between photoshoots, social media snaps, and paparazzi images, you may wonder: where is the line between public and private? And what is real, and what is staged?
These are exactly the questions that Alison Jackson tackles in her work. The photographer and filmmaker finds lookalikes and actors to impersonate celebs and royals in all kinds of intimate settings. From Prince William and Princess Kate enjoying breakfast in bed and Camilla throwing back a drink while chain-smoking with a crown on her crown, to Diana showing the photographer her middle finger with a cheeky grin – it looks just like real. But that is not it.
Image: Alison Jackson via Fotomuseum aan het Vrijthof
Image: Alison Jackson via Fotomuseum aan het Vrijthof
Image: Alison Jackson via Fotomuseum aan het Vrijthof
The truth
As became clear this week with Kate’s Photoshop gate: photos do not always tell the exact truth. Today’s celebrities and royals have extensive media teams behind them, full of clever tricks to create images that tell the story they have in mind.
And do those images reflect 100% the truth? Oh well. That is less important. Jackson himself states: “The truth is dead. Nothing we are shown is reliable; everything can be fake and nothing is authentic.”
Exhibition
Her work has now traveled all over the world and will soon be arriving in Maastricht. The Photo Museum on the Vrijthof will feature 60 staged portraits and two videos. Here you will see – like real – members of the royal family, but also politicians such as Bill Clinton and Donald Trump, and celebrities like Kim Kardashian, Victoria Beckham, Elton John, and Marilyn Monroe.
The exhibition Alison Jackson: Truth is Dead can be seen from March 23 to September 15, 2024 in the Fotomuseum at the Vrijthof in Maastricht. You can reserve tickets in advance via the Fotomuseum website, or purchase them on site at the box office. The museum is open from Tuesday to Sunday, 10am – 5pm.
Source & Image: Photo Museum at the Vrijthof
