Exactitudes: (exact + attitudes)
April 18, 2011 3:21 AM Subscribe
Exactitudes: (exact + attitudes) Photographer Ari Versluis and profiler Ellie Uyttenbroek have worked together since October 1994. Inspired by a shared interest in the striking dress codes of various social groups, they have systematically documented numerous identities over the last 16 years. Versluis and Uyttenbroek provide an almost scientific, anthropological record of people’s attempts to distinguish themselves from others by assuming a group identity. The results are astounding.
This post was deleted for the following reason: Neat but saw it previously. -- cortex
It's looking mighty familiar, but I think we did it last in 2003. What's the statute of limitations on doubles?
posted by pracowity at 3:32 AM on April 18, 2011
posted by pracowity at 3:32 AM on April 18, 2011
One way or another, there are bare breasts in some of the photos, so it's NSFW in some cases. Damn those Europeans and their breasts.
posted by pracowity at 3:35 AM on April 18, 2011
posted by pracowity at 3:35 AM on April 18, 2011
This is pretty cool, double, triple or whatnot. Thanks rozomon.
posted by caddis at 3:51 AM on April 18, 2011
posted by caddis at 3:51 AM on April 18, 2011
Damn those Europeans and their breasts
What??? Don't you remember: "Tale as old as time / Song as old as rhyme / Euro and the Breast" - ? Great song, great musical. Trust Disney to come up with such a winning story - the tale of a giant, hairy breast that, against all odds, charmed and won the love of the single European currency. That you don't recognise the award-winning romanticism of this union of supranational coin and amputated body part is merely a reflection of your OWN lack of compassion. I hope your kneecaps droop.
posted by the quidnunc kid at 4:32 AM on April 18, 2011
What??? Don't you remember: "Tale as old as time / Song as old as rhyme / Euro and the Breast" - ? Great song, great musical. Trust Disney to come up with such a winning story - the tale of a giant, hairy breast that, against all odds, charmed and won the love of the single European currency. That you don't recognise the award-winning romanticism of this union of supranational coin and amputated body part is merely a reflection of your OWN lack of compassion. I hope your kneecaps droop.
posted by the quidnunc kid at 4:32 AM on April 18, 2011
One way or another, there are bare breasts in some of the photos, so it's NSFW in some cases.
I really want to know, where is this sort of workplace in which it's cool to browse Metafilter, and to browse an artistic photoset of folks dressed in various fashions, but at the same time, a single tiny picture of a topless woman in the same said artistic photoset is NSFW? I'd really have to assume that either browsing the Internet really isn't that good for work, or that a workplace would be filled with rational enough people that they wouldn't knee-jerk about such a petty thing.
This project's really cool, but it's somewhat disappointing that they don't distinguish the folks who are aiming to be individuals (in the same way) from the folks who purposely set out to dress similarly. At the same time, it's a good indication of just how vast the number of people on the planet is; no matter how unique you may appear, photographers with an eye toward finding your style-mate will find 11 of them.
posted by explosion at 4:43 AM on April 18, 2011 [1 favorite]
I really want to know, where is this sort of workplace in which it's cool to browse Metafilter, and to browse an artistic photoset of folks dressed in various fashions, but at the same time, a single tiny picture of a topless woman in the same said artistic photoset is NSFW? I'd really have to assume that either browsing the Internet really isn't that good for work, or that a workplace would be filled with rational enough people that they wouldn't knee-jerk about such a petty thing.
This project's really cool, but it's somewhat disappointing that they don't distinguish the folks who are aiming to be individuals (in the same way) from the folks who purposely set out to dress similarly. At the same time, it's a good indication of just how vast the number of people on the planet is; no matter how unique you may appear, photographers with an eye toward finding your style-mate will find 11 of them.
posted by explosion at 4:43 AM on April 18, 2011 [1 favorite]
D'oh. I didn't think I'd seen it before when other metafilter users didn't know what I meant. Sorry for "bi-posting" (and not noting if NSFW) I'm new to posting despite being a long time reader! It's still fascinating every time I go back to it. Don't forget to put your speakers on when possible for the amusing commentaries.
posted by rozomon at 4:48 AM on April 18, 2011
posted by rozomon at 4:48 AM on April 18, 2011
Nice pictures admittedly. But let me get this right: the point is the irony in people wanting to distinguish themselves from others but clearly fail to do so because 11 other people wear somewhat the same look, however never the exact same piece of clothing?
Having them pose the same way doesn't help them look very distinguished either :)
posted by Sexy Motherfucker at 5:11 AM on April 18, 2011
Having them pose the same way doesn't help them look very distinguished either :)
posted by Sexy Motherfucker at 5:11 AM on April 18, 2011
Christ is their server slow. See, this is a perfect example of where aggressive site caching could have saved the day.
posted by Civil_Disobedient at 5:15 AM on April 18, 2011
posted by Civil_Disobedient at 5:15 AM on April 18, 2011
Interesting, but if you wanted to make an argument that these were people forming some kind of similar group identity, track each person down a couple of weeks later and photograph them. See if the people who were dressed alike two weeks ago are the same people dressed alike on another day. If they're not, it's not a group identity, it's just that there are bound to be people dressed alike. So you'll find that the skins and the allah girls like have a group identity but maybe not so much the dejeuner sur les herbes.
posted by If only I had a penguin... at 5:35 AM on April 18, 2011
posted by If only I had a penguin... at 5:35 AM on April 18, 2011
I see that being blonde and wearing a white top with dark bottoms (any white top with any dark bottoms) makes you a bimbo.
posted by If only I had a penguin... at 5:37 AM on April 18, 2011
posted by If only I had a penguin... at 5:37 AM on April 18, 2011
I like the photos, but the site kept crapping out on me. Too bad.
posted by Forktine at 6:04 AM on April 18, 2011
posted by Forktine at 6:04 AM on April 18, 2011
Are they taking pictures of everybody (or some random sample), keeping all of them, rearranging them into groups of visually similar people, showing all of them, and verifying independently that the people in these groups also share other characteristics that you could use to place them in certain social groups? Or are they selectively photographing people and weeding out those who don't fit a pretty visual pattern?
The first method might say something about the "striking dress codes of various social groups". The second method is pure visual art -- interesting to look at but not, as the wording of the posting suggests, a scientific approach to anything.
posted by pracowity at 6:13 AM on April 18, 2011
The first method might say something about the "striking dress codes of various social groups". The second method is pure visual art -- interesting to look at but not, as the wording of the posting suggests, a scientific approach to anything.
posted by pracowity at 6:13 AM on April 18, 2011
It's down again.
posted by Obscure Reference at 6:22 AM on April 18, 2011
posted by Obscure Reference at 6:22 AM on April 18, 2011
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posted by mippy at 3:26 AM on April 18, 2011