Miles Aldridge: I Only Want You to Love Me at Somerset House ǀ Exhibition review

I Only Want You to Love Me is a major retrospective of pieces by the photographer Miles Aldridge, best known for his work in the fashion industry. The recurring subject of Aldridge’s work is beautiful women, and this exhibition is filled with them, from the Pre-Raphaelite beauty in Like a Painting #1 to the saint-like figures of the Imaculée series.

Born in London in 1964, Aldridge not only features his final shots in the exhibition, but also explores the process through which they were created.  All of the photographs on display were commissioned by magazines, including Vogue Italia and The New Yorker, and were taken using a manual camera.  The show includes Polaroid shots, taken during photo shoots to give an instant insight into the image captured on film, as well as quotes from Aldridge about his sources of inspiration.

Rich in both colour and narrative, the painstaking attention to detail in Aldridge’s works appears to stem from the early years of his career, which were spent studying Illustration at Central St Martins. Evidence of Aldridge’s continued relationship with drawing can also be seen in a series of drawn storyboard-style plans for his photographs.

Having also briefly worked as a director of music videos, another obvious visual influence is the work of film directors such as David Lynch, Fredrico Fellini and Alfred Hitchcock.

Like Hitchcock’s leading ladies, the women in Aldridge’s work are outwardly cool and often accompanied by a sense of unease about the circumstances in which they are portrayed. Their faces are almost expressionless, and the viewer is left wondering about the emotions they might be experiencing.

I Only Want You to Love Me coincides with the release of a book, of the same title, published by Rizzoli. The work s in the exhibition ooze glamour and transport their viewers to an exciting, yet troubling, world of high fashion and money. The show is highly recommended, especially to those interested in fashion photography.

Melanie Weaver
Photos: Andrei Grosu

I Only Want You to Love Me is at Somerset House until 29^th September 2013. For further information or to book visit the gallery’s website here.