DOVIMA AND THE ELEPHANTS – The Vampire's Wife

Dovima and the Elephants

Dovima and the Elephants by Richard Avedon—this challenging, discomforting photograph intrigued me as a young girl, its beauty and its cruelty both. Last week, I found it in a book on Avedon’s photography and it unnerved me all over again.

On the Phaidon photography website it says of Dovima and the Elephants—

(If you) look closer you'll see that the fundamental subject, as in all of Avedon's art, is old age and its stresses - as represented by the mournful and wrinkled elephants.

The dress that Dovima is wearing is elegant, yet your eye is still not detracted from the elephants. The dress acts as the focal point of the photo while also fading away to the background.

The chains around the elephants feet hint at an idea of a reduced life. Avedon was to return again and again to this idea.

Love, Susie x

I COME FROM THERE

I love this poem, Tropical Town, by Salomón de la Selva. The poet was born in 1893, in León, Nicaragua, writing in both Spanish and English. He was active throughout his life in numerous labour and political movements He died on February 5, 1959. I love the line ‘I come from there…’, suggesting that the poet is an immigrant, far from home, dreaming of the repose of the cemetery, ‘where the green trees are.’ So very beautiful.

YOU MIGHT AS WELL LOVE

Someone called Vivienne from Auckland sent this beautiful poem/piece of philosophy from Pádraig Ó Tuama to my husband’s Red Hand Files this week. Such a wondrous thing as it falls to its very most simple and touching conclusion. Thank you, Vivienne, for enriching our little corners!

GRETA BELLAMACINA IN VENICE

Actress, poet, filmmaker, style icon and dear friend, Greta Bellamacina prepares to take on Venice Film Festival in her bespoke Raspberry Vampire’s Wife Dress and Cape. ‘There's such a magic to the shape of the dress–and the colour. It felt very special. There's also this timelessness to it. A lot of pieces from The Vampire’s Wife transcend the decades,' Greta says of the dresses. We adore Greta here at The Vampire’s Wife. Love Susie. x Black Under Heaven everything lives unnerved tiny cups and scissors hungover lilies in heaven marching in glass on the table our child arranging the sky,...

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