Title: Self Portrait with Cat
Date: 1998
Artist: Floria Sigismondi
Born: 1965
Media: C Print
Size: 121.9 x 162.6cm
Floria Sigismondi is an Italian photographer & director, who has played a major role in many productions of photographs such as “Self Portrait with Cat”, and the directing of music videos working with major artists such as Katy Perry, Marilyn Manson, Christina Aguilera, David Bowie and Muse, but is best known for the writing and directing of a 2010 release movie known as the runaways which brought a box office income of $4,678,222.
Floria went to the Ontario Collage of Art in 1987, where she studied painting and illustration. She became obsessed with photography when she first started her photography course. She started her career as a fashion photographer, as well as directing many music videos for small Canadian bands. Since then, she has become a well known photographer & director by her photographs becoming famous and working with major artist in the direction of music videos.
A well known photograph by Floria Sigismondi, titled “self portrait with cat” symbolises her Italian heritage and features many aspects of Leonardo da Vinci’s oil painting “Lady with Ermine”. The photograph has many features such as a “style of pose” which symbolises a similar pose to Leonardo’s painting, while including an animal used for symbolic reasons also a technique used in Leonardo’s painting. The photograph is set in a post modern context and features “coloured and textured garments” a simple technique that was also used in the “Lady with Ermine” artwork.
Floria has used many features of visual language which is very appealing to the human eye. In this photograph she has directed into a gothic meaning, with black hail, eyebrows, and clothing, with a touch of red as a highlight. She has used false fingernails which appeals to the audience as her fingernails now fit fight around the cat which adds great positioning to the