The Flame Image courtesy of Larry Torno and Bruno David Gallery
Creating titles for the Barbie exhibition was an exercise in creative thinking. Bruno David, the gallery owner and curator of the show, asked me to think about what was going through my mind as I shot each doll and consider that for the titles.
With that in mind, here are the titles and what I was thinking as I looked through the viewfinder.
An American in Rome – This Barbie looked like a combination of Audrey Hepburn, in the black and white film
Roman Holiday, and an American visitor acclimating to European fashion.
Anne's Favorite – My neighbor, Anne, likes the early Barbies, but considers the full eyelash models to be her favorite.
When is a Barbie not a Barbie – The first doll to be photographed and the impetus for the concept behind the exhibition.
Big Bangs Theory – A play on words and a tribute to the outrageous bangs on this Barbie.
Black, White and Blonde – Refers to the black dress, white lipstick and blonde hair.
Bric-A-Brac and Pearls on a Summer's Evening – That's how I saw this doll; wearing an inexpensive summer outfit but trying to dress it up with a string of pearls.
Burnt Umber – It's a paint color I used in college and the most descriptive term I could find to describe the tone of the doll and lighting.
The Cat's Meow – A combination of the cat eye glasses and a popular expression.
Celebrity Look-A-Like – This doll looks like someone who might be famous whose name you can't think of.
Close Encounter – I kept zooming in on this doll to see how close I could come and still get the shot I wanted.
The First Time You See Her – You know when you see someone all the time and take them for granted . . . but then one day, you see them like you've never seen them before.
The Flame – A shortening of the term "flaming redhead" and a suggestion of her demeanor when it comes to relationships.
Frankie, Annette and Moondoggie – I know I'm mixing my beach film characters, but to me, she was all of them rolled up into one.
Jerry's Point of View – My friend, Jerry, is much taller than me, and I guessed that this must be his perspective with most people.
Paparazzi – Who else could she be hiding from?
Profile – Obvious.
Remember the '80s – I think I saw this woman in the mid-1980s in California.
Up, Close and Personal – Another case of trying to get up close without invading personal space.
When I Met Peg – Peg is my wife and doesn't look anything like this, however, here's the story. I met her on a blind date when she was playing in the back-up orchestra for Tony Bennett. I brought binoculars to the concert to "check her out" but she was hidden behind the music stand and all I could see was her eyes. Just like this Barbie, that was all I needed to see.
The Nudes – They're named for the numbered exposure that I chose as the final image. They were not shot at the same time nor are they the same doll.
http://www.brunodavidgallery.com/artistDetail.cfm?id_artist=106&n=Larry+Torno
