Fashion photography has always been more than a mirror to its time. It is a stage, a ritual, and ultimately, a form of belief. The autumn exhibition “Image Cult: Icons, Bodies, Believes” at PREISS FINE ARTS presents a curated constellation of works that elevate the photographic image into a cultural icon. These photographs are not simply captured moments; they are visual scriptures of beauty, desire, and identity.
“Python Birkin” by TYLER SHIELDS
limited edition of 3
In a world where the body is endlessly mediated through images, the exhibition explores how photography sanctifies presence. From Andreas H. Bitesnich’s sculptural nudes to David Drebin’s cinematic fantasies and Roxanne Lowit‘s intimate glimpses Backstage, the human form appears not merely as flesh but as symbol. These are not portraits of individuals; they are monuments to the eternal tension between vulnerability and power.
“Nadja Auermann for Vivienne Westwood” by ROXANNE LOWIT
limited edition of 5
The exhibition unfolds in thematic chapters, moving from the intimacy of backstage rituals — seen in Roxanne Lowit’s electrifying captures of Kate Moss, Shalom Harlow or Nadja Auermann — to the dazzling spectacle of staged fantasies, such as Tyler Shields’ surreal scenarios. Each work reveals photography’s double role as both voyeur and priest: recording the transient, while at the same time elevating it into myth.
“Touch your Toes” by RANKIN
limited edition of 5
“Gold City” by DAVID DREBIN
limited edition of 10
At the center of “Image Cult” lies the question of visibility. What does it mean to be seen? Albert Watson’s portraits of Naomi Campbell and Michel Comte’s iconic depictions of supermodels remind us that style and gaze can confer a kind of immortality. In their hands, light and composition do more than flatter; they consecrate, transforming models into legends.
“Naomi Campbell Smoking” by ALBERT WATSON
limited edition of 10
“Supermodels” by MICHEL COMTE
limited edition of 3
There is also a darker undercurrent — the acknowledgment that beauty is bound to ritual, performance, and sometimes sacrifice. Kristian Schuller’s surreal stagecraft and Vincent Peters’ cinematic sensuality blur the boundaries between reality and theater. Here, fashion becomes a liturgy of desire, an endless choreography between revelation and concealment.
“Gisele in a Box” by VINCENT PETERS
limited edition of 10
“Nadja III” by KRISTIAN SCHULLER
limited edition of 5
Yet amid the spectacle, moments of intimacy persist. Works like Drebin’s Girl in the Red Dress or Lowit’s behind-the-scenes glimpses invite viewers into spaces of vulnerability, laughter, and unguarded presence. These photographs remind us that icons are human, even when they are elevated to the realm of myth.
“Girl in Red Dress” by DAVID DREBIN
limited edition of 7
For collectors, the exhibition offers an opportunity to acquire works that have already entered the canon of visual culture. Lifetime editions by Bitesnich, Drebin, Comte, Lowit, and others are not only powerful statements for contemporary collections but also enduring investments in the very images that have shaped our collective imagination.
“Kate Moss for Vivienne Westwood” & “Kate Moss and Amber Valletta” by ROXANNE LOWIT
limited edition of 5
“Image Cult: Icons, Bodies, Believes” is not just an exhibition. It is an invitation to reflect on the power of the photographic image — as an object of worship, as a bearer of memory, and as a timeless possession.
Visit PREISS FINE ARTS at Bauernmarkt 14, 1010 Vienne
Mo-Fr 10am – 6.30pm
Sa 11am – 4pm
