Sam, or Samantha Roddick is the founder of the erotic emporium, Coco de Mer. This was her first photographic exhibition, which was inspired by the Italian architect, Carlos Mollino (1905-1973). After his death, over one thousand erotic Polaroid photographs were found in one of his properties.
The aim of the Roddick exhibition was to explore the relationship between modern-day culture and sex. Her photographs recreated Mollino's images using twelve friends of different ages, ethnicity and shapes. Each ‘model’ was photographed twelve times, making a total of 144 images. The sets and clothes were designed to give the images a religious feel, which was then carried through into the mounts used for the prints. Each set of images had backdrops in black, dark red or white velvet decorated with gold work embroidery, reminiscent of a religious altar piece.
The symbols embroidered include a DNA helix (representing hidden information), snakes, bees and honeycombs (sacred geometry and architecture within nature), as well as chains, flowers, stars, and so forth. The embroidery was carried out by Hand & Lock, the oldest embroidery company in England (founded in 1767), using various metal thread techniques.
Digital sources:
- http://www.marieclaire.co.uk/blogs/548905/sam-roddick-s-new-photography-exhibition-hidden-within-do-these-pictures-objectify-women.html#Iz0TEqB8Yso404sj.99 (retrieved 19 March 2016)
- http://www.michaelhoppengallery.com/exhibitions/9/overview/ (retrieved 19 March 2016)
Digital source of illustration (retrieved 8 June 2016).
GVE