'Exactitudes' Proves We're Not as Unique as We Thought
The photo book is a visual record of more than 3,000 neatly presented social types.
Photographer Ari Versluis and stylist Ellie Uyttenbroek started Exactitudes back in 1994 on the streets of Rotterdam. This project is a visual record of more than 3,000 distinct social types neatly documented over the past 30 years. Most of us consider ourselves one-of-a-kind, taking pride in our individuality, but is that reality? Evidently not.
The collection shows individuals who share a set of defining visual characteristics that identify them within specific social types. Whether that’s Mohawks, Glamboths, Rockers or The Girls from Ipanema, the duo can spot particular dress codes and behaviors that characterize subcultures and certain urban tribes. Once the person is identified, Versluis and Uyttenbroek invite them back to the studio to be photographed. The only requirement is that the individual wear the exact outfit they were wearing at the time of the encounter.
View this post on Instagram
After 30 years, the final issue of Exactitudes is here. The photobook showcases the tribes and takes the form of a sociological experiment, scientific in its nature. The way the images are presented is almost reminiscent of illustrations made by natural scientists to categorize specimens. Think rows and rows of insects against neutral backgrounds, isolated as nothing but the form, purely for documentation. This is what makes Exactitudes a quest for human discovery.
Uniformity versus individuality lies at the core of the project. These two opposing desires, wanting to differentiate ourselves and also conform, prove our human need to belong to a group. Versluis and Uyttenbroek explore the fragility of identity and the way in which it manifests itself through dress codes. Maybe we’re not all as unique as we thought.
Exactitudes is now available to buy at Dover Street Market and Climax Books.
In other news, check out our pick of documentaries to watch ahead of fashion month.
