BETTINA RHEIMS SIGNING OFF IG
Fed up with Censorship of Her Art
The supremely talented Bettina Rheimes has notified Instagram on her IG page that she is leaving and will not have anyone but her own hand touch her work. At the same time the German born photographer, known for her wondrous photographs of women, graciously thanked her followers.
We at PROVOKR adore her provocative artistry and her ability to capture women in a very distinct, always revealing way and her commitment to let us see the world through her sensitive, seeking eye. Her IG page and individual images were criminally molested by Instagram. It is a clear violation of fine art as Instagram continues to censor creativity.
Rheims has photographed all sorts of women, done ad campaigns for Chanel and Lancome, shot lots of celebrities for magazine editorial assignments as well as fashion assignments. Some of her best work is from a series on gender identity. She and Serge Bramly, who brought the prose to her work, collaborated on many projects including books and film. We have included the the film he made about her creativity in 2010. Rheims’ books Female Trouble, More Trouble and Modern Lovers are simply sensational. She began her career in 1978 with a series on strip tease artists and acrobats and the rest is history. Rheims lists her influences as Diane Arbus and many painters and paintings.
We chose to show her IG page and her statement and a sample of her often censored work. We also included images she had kindly assembled for PROVOKR over the years. Bettina Rheims said, “My camera is my weapon”. She uses it powerfully well. You can still follow her through her representing gallery, Xippas, and through Bettina Rheims Studio and their respective websites. We will be delighted to continue showing her work here at PROVOKR unaltered and uncensored.
