Ellen von Unwerth knows what it feels like to be both in front of and behind the camera. The renowned model-turned-photographer celebrates her three-decade career with the exhibition “Devotion! 30 Years of Photographing Women,” running through March 29, 2020, at the new photography space Fotografiska New York , an offshoot of its original location in Stockholm. The show highlights von Unwerth’s bold and provocative images of women that include Rihanna, Gisele Bündchen, and Kate Moss.

When von Unwerth began her modeling career, she learned exactly what she didn’t want from her models: stiffness and stillness. “When I was modeling, I was always told that I couldn’t move and I should look to the left and the right,” she said on the phone from her studio in Paris. Her career lasted 10 years before she picked up a camera herself and decided to flip the script. “When I started to be a photographer, I really encouraged my models to live in front of the camera,” von Unwerth explained. “I give them roles to play. You get those moments where they show emotion and not just their physical beauty—that’s what I’m looking for.”

Von Unwerth’s cinematic, sexy, and feminine photographs have graced the pages of Vogue, Interview, and Vanity Fair. She’s known for her ability to give her subjects the opportunity to be sensual on their own terms. “I think they feel free with me,” she said. “It’s kind of a give-and-take.”

The photographer spoke with Artsy about five images in Fotografiska New York’s “Devotion!” show, offering insight and origin stories to some of her most exciting works.



