Paolo Roversi: 'Mirror Mirror'

Paolo Roversi was not a photographer I was too familiar with before being given this task as a student on FCP. However, he is a photographer I have began to admire and respect. His Dior 2016 work stood out to me as a unique set of images that told a story. Here is my analysis of one of those images in particular:

The black and white photograph for a Dior 2016 campaign, taken by Paolo Roversi, features two women reflected in shattered mirror pieces in a white room resembling a changing room. The women are looking towards each other and oppose each other in a complimentary way. They are opposites in terms of their hair colour and the clothing colours they wear however, their styles are very much the same. It is almost as if they are clones of each other with slight variations in appearance. However, the silhouettes of the clothing they are wearing are very much the same. The models are obstructed by the cracks in the mirrors creating distorted versions of the models making multiples of certain features of their bodies. The mirrors look like they are slightly tilted, creating an off balance to the flooring in the photograph. The bottom of the image is more abstract with bold blocks of black and white that look like gaps in the mirrors. The clarity of the image fades as your eyes wander down the photograph with rust marks on the lower part of the mirrors layered on top of other mirrors.

As formalist and art critic Roger Fry analysed creative works of art, the colours used in this photograph are monochromatic with a large portion of white used in the image. Roversi has used the black in the photograph to place emphasis on the architectural structure of the models of the photograph and to make them the main focus. He has created these lines through the black jacket and black top that the women wear. The sharp contrast of the black outline against the white background allows the lines of the models to be separated from the cracked effect of the mirrors. This, to me, resembles the work of Picasso. This photograph isn’t large in its volume of content as the image is quite minimalistic, however, it is large in the volume of block colour and dense patches (the cracks in the mirrors) towards the bottom of the photograph. Based on Heinrich Wolfflin’s principles of art history, this is quite a painterly image as the composition of the mirrors creates a disjointed aesthetic, however it is also linear in the clarity of the photograph.

To me the photograph illustrates an individual’s struggle with body image and with connotations of differences in the way we see ourselves compared to what others see. The woman gazing into the mirror sees the complete opposite to what is actually standing there, shown by the way the models have been styled in the image. The lack of emotion on the model’s faces creates a serious mood to the image, which is echoed by the monochromatic colour scheme. Overtime the meaning of an image can change, however, as this is a recent piece of photography its relevance to a younger generation and the fashion industry is key. So many young people nowadays struggle with body image and acceptance, which I feel is fuelled by high street stores, such as Topshop and H&M through sizing, mannequins and changing rooms. So many dressing rooms have mirrors that show an untrue image of yourself and lighting that causes the person to feel ashamed. I see this image as a representation of this current issue through the cracks in the mirrors and the opposition of the woman reflected in the mirror. I admire Roversi for illustrating this issue through his photography and his use of typical models as the hype around models this year has grown extensively for icons such as Kendall Jenner. Models often paint a picture of a perfect life through their Instagram feeds, however, this photograph illustrates that there are faults to everyone and cracks in the way everyone perceives themselves.

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