VERSLUIS, Ari & UYTTENBROEK, Ellie. Exactitudes.

(Rotterdam): 010 Publishers, 2002. First edition. Quarto. A fantastic collaboration between photographer Ari Versluis and profiler Ellie Uyttenbroek, inspired by a shared interest in the striking dress codes of various social groups, they have systematically documented numerous identities. Those collected here are mainly from Rotterdam’s heterogeneous, multicultural street scene. By registering their subjects in an identical framework, with similar poses and a strictly observed dress code, Versluis and Uyttenbroek provide an almost scientific, anthropological record of people’s attempts to distinguish themselves from others by assuming a group identity. The apparent contradiction between individuality and uniformity is, however, taken to such extremes in their arresting objective-looking photographic viewpoint and stylistic analysis that the artistic aspect clearly dominates the purely documentary element. The title of the work is a contraction of exact and attitude. This is a near fine copy in paper-covered boards without dust jacket as issued. This is the first printing, there have been a number of new editions and re-issues. An important work.