ARTmonday: 12 Society Photos by Jessica Craig-Martin

“One is never so naked as when dressed for a party.” —Jessica Craig-Martin

Photographer Jessica Craig-Martin is best known for her hyper-realistic depcitions of the lifestyles of the rich and famous for being rich. Society photography raised to an at times grotesque art form. At other times the images channel Slim Aarons, but in true Jessica Craig-Martin style they only showcase the subjects’ lower halves, with the focus on jewelry, shoes, handbags, and such.

Jessica Craig-Martin was born in Hanover, New Hampshire in 1963. and attended New York University, The New School/ Parsons, and the International Center of Photography. She has shot for Vogue, Vanity Fair, W, and her work is part of the collections at the Guggenheim Museum, New York and The Whitney Museum of American Art. Jessica Craig-Martin lives in New York City.

For Boston local, on May 21, 2015 The Street Chestnut Hill mounted an outdoor exhibition of photographs by Jessica Craig-Martin (including some of the below images), which will be on display through fall 2015. Merchants throughout The Street will generously donate a portion of proceeds on May 21st to Artists for Humanity, a Boston based non-profit organization whose mission is to bridge economic, racial, and social divides by providing under-resourced youth with support towards self-sufficiency through paid employment in the arts.

Shops at The Street Chestnut Hill include SC sponsors Jonathan Adler, Intermix, and Vince as well as locally owned businesses including Polka Dog Bakery, Ku De Ta, Skoah, and The Urban Grape.