Hoosta Magazine

Artists masterfully employ color to evoke emotion and communciate meaning and in Liquid Gold Bettina Rheims does both magnificiantly.
If you are in the New York City area make sure not to miss this eye-catching exhibition by one of the finest fashion photographers France has ever produced.
Over the past three decades, Bettina has achieved critical acclaim for her exquisite images representing the ultimate in femininity.
Liquid Gold celebrates the allure of a woman, and is an embodiment of the French Chic: glamour, sophistication, fragility, seduction, adventure, provocation, sublime imperfections, roots and truth.
That is what Liquid Gold calls to mind, that is what Bettina Rheims is capturing. The exhibition comprises huge original pictures printed on shining aluminium sheets: one still life (the first she ever did) and 10 surprising portraits of the model Margarita Svegzdaite.
The “high flyer” model, especially chosen for her captivating, mysterious sense of elegance and anti-conformism, is famous for having been the muse of Helmut Newton, John Galliano and Vivienne Westwood.
Chablis, the famous French white wine - whose colour is often referred to as “Liquid Gold” is the official sponsor of this international tour and a dedicated internet site www.chablis-the-frenchchic.com provides ‘behind the scenes’ work of Bettina and her team, giving a unique insight into her work.
Her eleven stunning large scale portraits, specially commissioned for this project, will be displayed in three of New York’s most “chic” venues:
Gold has always been symbolic of the confrontation between the luxury and the fake. Nothing is as pure as gold, nothing is as cheap as plated gold.
Bettina Rheims portrays the essence of “Liquid Gold” with her exceptional talent. Her model, a vibrant young woman, is literally scanned by Bettina’s camera, revealing her deepest sense of femininity.
The stunning precision in Bettina’s photography is close to Freudian analysis. Her direct glance in Bewitched is an allegory of the photographer’s eye, a reflection of its own soul, similar to “Reflections in a golden eye” where John Houston delved into Elizabeth Taylor’s sentimentality. Viewing these photographs online can’t communicate their magnificance and scale so if you have the opportunity see the exhibition in person.

• The New York Palace Hotel 455 Madison Avenue, New York, NY 10022    Tel. 1-212-888-7000