Acclaimed photographer Ellen von Unwerth captures her childhood homeland region of Bavaria, Germany, in a way only she can and showcases it in a new book published by Taschen.
Heimat is a new coffee table photography book that explores the land, pastimes and culture of von Unwerth's home region with a mischievous and tongue-in-cheek approach, which has very much become von Unwerth's signature. Playing up to Bavarian stereotypes is certainly the order of the day and makes for a fun book with an underlying tone of sarcasm.
Ellen von Unworth is a German photographer who was a top fashion model for ten years before becoming one of the most in-demand fashion photographers in the world. Her work has been showcased in countless publications and has a who's who list of top clients such as Ralph Lauren, Christian Dior, L’Oréal and, most notably, Guess.
If you are familiar with von Unwerth's previous work you will be unsurprised by her approach and style to capturing her home, but those who aren't may be in for a slight surprise – and it should be mentioned that it is targeted toward more mature readers.
Heimat is no different in this approach and follows several locals, played by supermodels, on a light-hearted jaunt "as they happily discard their dirndls and run riot across the countryside". It is filled to the brim with von Unwerth's kitsch humor, in what can only be described as a love letter to her homeland (which is the translation of the German word, "heimat").
"Blending old-world charm with a rebellious edge and a sly subversion of traditional gender roles, Heimat bursts with fresh, provocative eroticism, tied up with wit, laced with an abiding love for a proud and beautiful region," says Taschen.
Heimat by Ellen von Unwerth is available now in the UK and for preorder in the US for a July release. Taschen is one of the most renowned art book publishers in the world and creates exquisite special editions of its art books, ideal for art lovers and collectors alike (it recently also republished Workers by Sebastião Salgado).
The standard edition is $80 / £60 (Australian pricing to be confirmed), the XXL limited edition is $1,000 / £750, and the limited edition book and photograph print collection starts at $2,000 / £1,750.
You may also be interested in our guides to the best coffee table books on photography, the best books on fashion photography, and the best books on portrait photography.
