Deborah Turbeville

The unique photographic work of Deborah Turbeville positions her as a major figure since her beginnings in the 1970s. Her work defies classification. Her images are difficult to date at first glance; they seem imbued with a dreamlike atmosphere. Turbeville stands out from her male contemporaries, whose sharply styled and highly sexualized photographs of women now seem anchored in their time, unlike Turbeville's timeless representation of beauty.

This book focuses on a practice that makes Turbeville's work so unique: photocollage. Unlike her contemporaries in fashion photography, she approached her images with a deliberately playful intention: photocopying, cutting, scratching, assembling prints, writing in the margins, and creating narrative sequences. Her work transcends simple smooth images to occupy an intermediate zone between art and commerce.

Based on in-depth research in Deborah Turbeville's archives, the work presented covers commercial and personal projects, including many images published for the first time. With texts by Vince Aletti, Anna Tellgren, and Felix Hoffmann, this book highlights how Turbeville redefined fashion photography by moving away from sexual provocation and stereotypes imposed by male photographers, and by proposing an idea of femininity on her own terms. Today, Deborah Turbeville: Photocollage is an essential publication for all those passionate about fashion photography.