The Flickr Fashionphotographer Image Generatr

After 20 years in New York, Turbeville decamped to Paris in the late 1970s. Newly emigrated, Turbeville discovered the École des Beaux-Arts. This complex of 19th century buildings provided the perfect backdrop for Turbeville, who was enchanted with this period. Scattered around the school, her models were powdered in chalky white, transforming into living statues. Many of these were collaged, and printed in her book Wallflower (1978), and later in Past Imperfect (2009).*

Taken from the exhibition


Deborah Turbeville: Photocollage
(October 2024 - February 2025)

Deborah Turbeville's signature dreamlike and melancholic style became recognisable with her earliest works in the 1970s: enigmatic female figures, cloudy skies, wintry nature and abandoned, decaying surroundings. She deliberately distanced herself from the typical glamourous, polished aesthetic that dominated fashion at the time.
Deborah Turbeville: Photocollage presents Turbeville's trailblazing photographic explorations, from fashion photos to her very personal work. Bringing together unique pieces, the exhibition reveals Turbeville's highly personal artistic universe, which has been credited with transforming fashion imagery into avant-garde art.
The work of American photographer Deborah Turbeville, (1932-2013) defies classification. She established her signature style and key motifs from her very earliest works in the 1970s. Enigmatic female figures and abandoned, decaying surroundings reoccured in her work over the next four decades. This exhibition focusses on her collages, produced in parallel to her commissioned work with magazines and fashion brands
Between 1975 and 2013, her photographs were published in Vogue, Harper's Bazaar and the New York Times Magazine. She also worked for fashion houses including Comme des Garçons, Guy Laroche, Charles Jourdan, Calvin Klein, Emanuel Ungaro and Valentino. This was at a time when fashion photography was dominated by men. Turbeville consistently chose a path that ran counter to that of her male peers - Richard Avedon, Irving Penn, Helmut Newton and Guy Bourdin. Soft focus and overexposure brought a dusty tone to her black, white and sepia-toned work. Her models resemble mysterious apparitions as they wander through deserted buildings and landscapes.
Turbeville's experimentation extended from the darkroom to the studio table, where photographs were cut or torn, then arranged, pinned and glued. The collages become hybrid objects, as much diaries as book maquettes, sketchbooks as photographic novels - all from a pre-digital age.
Turbeville deliberately distanced herself from the typical polished aesthetic that dominated fashion at the time. She developed a highly personal artistic universe, while continuing to produce work for fashion magazines. Sadly, she did not achieve the same recognition as her male counterparts in her own lifetime.
[*The Photographers' Gallery]

Taken in the Photographers' Gallery

Passport, Circa 1990
Pages from Passport
Mixed Media

In the late 1980s Turbeville began work on a novella, originally titled A Strange Tale Concerning Ivana P., later becoming Passport. Concerning the Disappearance of Alix P The story is both autofiction and satire, taken from her experiences of working in the fashion industry.
Passport tells the story of Alix, a designer at the peak of her career, having just presented her latest collection in Paris. A character, the Empress, is a clear reference to her friend and mentor Diana Vreeland. The industry pressure bears down on Alix and she confides in The Empress, who whisks her away to a hidden sanitorium. From there, Alix chronicles her mental state in a diary Although the novella was never published, it inspired Turbeville to create a series of 130 collages.*

Taken from the exhibition


Deborah Turbeville: Photocollage
(October 2024 - February 2025)

Deborah Turbeville's signature dreamlike and melancholic style became recognisable with her earliest works in the 1970s: enigmatic female figures, cloudy skies, wintry nature and abandoned, decaying surroundings. She deliberately distanced herself from the typical glamourous, polished aesthetic that dominated fashion at the time.
Deborah Turbeville: Photocollage presents Turbeville's trailblazing photographic explorations, from fashion photos to her very personal work. Bringing together unique pieces, the exhibition reveals Turbeville's highly personal artistic universe, which has been credited with transforming fashion imagery into avant-garde art.
The work of American photographer Deborah Turbeville, (1932-2013) defies classification. She established her signature style and key motifs from her very earliest works in the 1970s. Enigmatic female figures and abandoned, decaying surroundings reoccured in her work over the next four decades. This exhibition focusses on her collages, produced in parallel to her commissioned work with magazines and fashion brands
Between 1975 and 2013, her photographs were published in Vogue, Harper's Bazaar and the New York Times Magazine. She also worked for fashion houses including Comme des Garçons, Guy Laroche, Charles Jourdan, Calvin Klein, Emanuel Ungaro and Valentino. This was at a time when fashion photography was dominated by men. Turbeville consistently chose a path that ran counter to that of her male peers - Richard Avedon, Irving Penn, Helmut Newton and Guy Bourdin. Soft focus and overexposure brought a dusty tone to her black, white and sepia-toned work. Her models resemble mysterious apparitions as they wander through deserted buildings and landscapes.
Turbeville's experimentation extended from the darkroom to the studio table, where photographs were cut or torn, then arranged, pinned and glued. The collages become hybrid objects, as much diaries as book maquettes, sketchbooks as photographic novels - all from a pre-digital age.
Turbeville deliberately distanced herself from the typical polished aesthetic that dominated fashion at the time. She developed a highly personal artistic universe, while continuing to produce work for fashion magazines. Sadly, she did not achieve the same recognition as her male counterparts in her own lifetime.
[*The Photographers' Gallery]

Taken in the Photographers' Gallery

Taken from the exhibition


Deborah Turbeville: Photocollage
(October 2024 - February 2025)

Deborah Turbeville's signature dreamlike and melancholic style became recognisable with her earliest works in the 1970s: enigmatic female figures, cloudy skies, wintry nature and abandoned, decaying surroundings. She deliberately distanced herself from the typical glamourous, polished aesthetic that dominated fashion at the time.
Deborah Turbeville: Photocollage presents Turbeville's trailblazing photographic explorations, from fashion photos to her very personal work. Bringing together unique pieces, the exhibition reveals Turbeville's highly personal artistic universe, which has been credited with transforming fashion imagery into avant-garde art.
The work of American photographer Deborah Turbeville, (1932-2013) defies classification. She established her signature style and key motifs from her very earliest works in the 1970s. Enigmatic female figures and abandoned, decaying surroundings reoccured in her work over the next four decades. This exhibition focusses on her collages, produced in parallel to her commissioned work with magazines and fashion brands
Between 1975 and 2013, her photographs were published in Vogue, Harper's Bazaar and the New York Times Magazine. She also worked for fashion houses including Comme des Garçons, Guy Laroche, Charles Jourdan, Calvin Klein, Emanuel Ungaro and Valentino. This was at a time when fashion photography was dominated by men. Turbeville consistently chose a path that ran counter to that of her male peers - Richard Avedon, Irving Penn, Helmut Newton and Guy Bourdin. Soft focus and overexposure brought a dusty tone to her black, white and sepia-toned work. Her models resemble mysterious apparitions as they wander through deserted buildings and landscapes.
Turbeville's experimentation extended from the darkroom to the studio table, where photographs were cut or torn, then arranged, pinned and glued. The collages become hybrid objects, as much diaries as book maquettes, sketchbooks as photographic novels - all from a pre-digital age.
Turbeville deliberately distanced herself from the typical polished aesthetic that dominated fashion at the time. She developed a highly personal artistic universe, while continuing to produce work for fashion magazines. Sadly, she did not achieve the same recognition as her male counterparts in her own lifetime.
[*The Photographers' Gallery]

Taken in the Photographers' Gallery

New York
Silver Gelatin Print

Taken from the exhibition


Deborah Turbeville: Photocollage
(October 2024 - February 2025)

Deborah Turbeville's signature dreamlike and melancholic style became recognisable with her earliest works in the 1970s: enigmatic female figures, cloudy skies, wintry nature and abandoned, decaying surroundings. She deliberately distanced herself from the typical glamourous, polished aesthetic that dominated fashion at the time.
Deborah Turbeville: Photocollage presents Turbeville's trailblazing photographic explorations, from fashion photos to her very personal work. Bringing together unique pieces, the exhibition reveals Turbeville's highly personal artistic universe, which has been credited with transforming fashion imagery into avant-garde art.
The work of American photographer Deborah Turbeville, (1932-2013) defies classification. She established her signature style and key motifs from her very earliest works in the 1970s. Enigmatic female figures and abandoned, decaying surroundings reoccured in her work over the next four decades. This exhibition focusses on her collages, produced in parallel to her commissioned work with magazines and fashion brands
Between 1975 and 2013, her photographs were published in Vogue, Harper's Bazaar and the New York Times Magazine. She also worked for fashion houses including Comme des Garçons, Guy Laroche, Charles Jourdan, Calvin Klein, Emanuel Ungaro and Valentino. This was at a time when fashion photography was dominated by men. Turbeville consistently chose a path that ran counter to that of her male peers - Richard Avedon, Irving Penn, Helmut Newton and Guy Bourdin. Soft focus and overexposure brought a dusty tone to her black, white and sepia-toned work. Her models resemble mysterious apparitions as they wander through deserted buildings and landscapes.
Turbeville's experimentation extended from the darkroom to the studio table, where photographs were cut or torn, then arranged, pinned and glued. The collages become hybrid objects, as much diaries as book maquettes, sketchbooks as photographic novels - all from a pre-digital age.
Turbeville deliberately distanced herself from the typical polished aesthetic that dominated fashion at the time. She developed a highly personal artistic universe, while continuing to produce work for fashion magazines. Sadly, she did not achieve the same recognition as her male counterparts in her own lifetime.
[*The Photographers' Gallery]

Taken in the Photographers' Gallery

After 20 years in New York, Turbeville decamped to Paris in the late 1970s. Newly emigrated, Turbeville discovered the École des Beaux-Arts. This complex of 19th century buildings provided the perfect backdrop for Turbeville, who was enchanted with this period. Scattered around the school, her models were powdered in chalky white, transforming into living statues. Many of these were collaged, and printed in her book Wallflower (1978), and later in Past Imperfect (2009).*

Taken from the exhibition


Deborah Turbeville: Photocollage
(October 2024 - February 2025)

Deborah Turbeville's signature dreamlike and melancholic style became recognisable with her earliest works in the 1970s: enigmatic female figures, cloudy skies, wintry nature and abandoned, decaying surroundings. She deliberately distanced herself from the typical glamourous, polished aesthetic that dominated fashion at the time.
Deborah Turbeville: Photocollage presents Turbeville's trailblazing photographic explorations, from fashion photos to her very personal work. Bringing together unique pieces, the exhibition reveals Turbeville's highly personal artistic universe, which has been credited with transforming fashion imagery into avant-garde art.
The work of American photographer Deborah Turbeville, (1932-2013) defies classification. She established her signature style and key motifs from her very earliest works in the 1970s. Enigmatic female figures and abandoned, decaying surroundings reoccured in her work over the next four decades. This exhibition focusses on her collages, produced in parallel to her commissioned work with magazines and fashion brands
Between 1975 and 2013, her photographs were published in Vogue, Harper's Bazaar and the New York Times Magazine. She also worked for fashion houses including Comme des Garçons, Guy Laroche, Charles Jourdan, Calvin Klein, Emanuel Ungaro and Valentino. This was at a time when fashion photography was dominated by men. Turbeville consistently chose a path that ran counter to that of her male peers - Richard Avedon, Irving Penn, Helmut Newton and Guy Bourdin. Soft focus and overexposure brought a dusty tone to her black, white and sepia-toned work. Her models resemble mysterious apparitions as they wander through deserted buildings and landscapes.
Turbeville's experimentation extended from the darkroom to the studio table, where photographs were cut or torn, then arranged, pinned and glued. The collages become hybrid objects, as much diaries as book maquettes, sketchbooks as photographic novels - all from a pre-digital age.
Turbeville deliberately distanced herself from the typical polished aesthetic that dominated fashion at the time. She developed a highly personal artistic universe, while continuing to produce work for fashion magazines. Sadly, she did not achieve the same recognition as her male counterparts in her own lifetime.
[*The Photographers' Gallery]

Taken in the Photographers' Gallery

Unseen Versailles

Jacqueline Onassis commissioned Turbeville to photograph the Palace of Versailles during her tenure as an editor at the American publishing house Doubleday. With help from Onassis she gained access to the labyrinth of hidden chambers and antechambers which were off limits to tourists. She photographed barren rooms, Baroque furniture covered with sheets, broken statues, and curtains thick with dust. The curator of the estate initially blocked the introduction of props, but Onassis eventually gained her permission to bring in models in period costumes. Unseen Versailles won the American Book Award in 1982, and enabled Turbeville to find a readership outside fashion magazines.

Taken from the exhibition


Deborah Turbeville: Photocollage
(October 2024 - February 2025)

Deborah Turbeville's signature dreamlike and melancholic style became recognisable with her earliest works in the 1970s: enigmatic female figures, cloudy skies, wintry nature and abandoned, decaying surroundings. She deliberately distanced herself from the typical glamourous, polished aesthetic that dominated fashion at the time.
Deborah Turbeville: Photocollage presents Turbeville's trailblazing photographic explorations, from fashion photos to her very personal work. Bringing together unique pieces, the exhibition reveals Turbeville's highly personal artistic universe, which has been credited with transforming fashion imagery into avant-garde art.
The work of American photographer Deborah Turbeville, (1932-2013) defies classification. She established her signature style and key motifs from her very earliest works in the 1970s. Enigmatic female figures and abandoned, decaying surroundings reoccured in her work over the next four decades. This exhibition focusses on her collages, produced in parallel to her commissioned work with magazines and fashion brands
Between 1975 and 2013, her photographs were published in Vogue, Harper's Bazaar and the New York Times Magazine. She also worked for fashion houses including Comme des Garçons, Guy Laroche, Charles Jourdan, Calvin Klein, Emanuel Ungaro and Valentino. This was at a time when fashion photography was dominated by men. Turbeville consistently chose a path that ran counter to that of her male peers - Richard Avedon, Irving Penn, Helmut Newton and Guy Bourdin. Soft focus and overexposure brought a dusty tone to her black, white and sepia-toned work. Her models resemble mysterious apparitions as they wander through deserted buildings and landscapes.
Turbeville's experimentation extended from the darkroom to the studio table, where photographs were cut or torn, then arranged, pinned and glued. The collages become hybrid objects, as much diaries as book maquettes, sketchbooks as photographic novels - all from a pre-digital age.
Turbeville deliberately distanced herself from the typical polished aesthetic that dominated fashion at the time. She developed a highly personal artistic universe, while continuing to produce work for fashion magazines. Sadly, she did not achieve the same recognition as her male counterparts in her own lifetime.
[*The Photographers' Gallery]

Taken in the Photographers' Gallery

Unseen Versailles

Jacqueline Onassis commissioned Turbeville to photograph the Palace of Versailles during her tenure as an editor at the American publishing house Doubleday. With help from Onassis she gained access to the labyrinth of hidden chambers and antechambers which were off limits to tourists. She photographed barren rooms, Baroque furniture covered with sheets, broken statues, and curtains thick with dust. The curator of the estate initially blocked the introduction of props, but Onassis eventually gained her permission to bring in models in period costumes. Unseen Versailles won the American Book Award in 1982, and enabled Turbeville to find a readership outside fashion magazines.

Taken from the exhibition


Deborah Turbeville: Photocollage
(October 2024 - February 2025)

Deborah Turbeville's signature dreamlike and melancholic style became recognisable with her earliest works in the 1970s: enigmatic female figures, cloudy skies, wintry nature and abandoned, decaying surroundings. She deliberately distanced herself from the typical glamourous, polished aesthetic that dominated fashion at the time.
Deborah Turbeville: Photocollage presents Turbeville's trailblazing photographic explorations, from fashion photos to her very personal work. Bringing together unique pieces, the exhibition reveals Turbeville's highly personal artistic universe, which has been credited with transforming fashion imagery into avant-garde art.
The work of American photographer Deborah Turbeville, (1932-2013) defies classification. She established her signature style and key motifs from her very earliest works in the 1970s. Enigmatic female figures and abandoned, decaying surroundings reoccured in her work over the next four decades. This exhibition focusses on her collages, produced in parallel to her commissioned work with magazines and fashion brands
Between 1975 and 2013, her photographs were published in Vogue, Harper's Bazaar and the New York Times Magazine. She also worked for fashion houses including Comme des Garçons, Guy Laroche, Charles Jourdan, Calvin Klein, Emanuel Ungaro and Valentino. This was at a time when fashion photography was dominated by men. Turbeville consistently chose a path that ran counter to that of her male peers - Richard Avedon, Irving Penn, Helmut Newton and Guy Bourdin. Soft focus and overexposure brought a dusty tone to her black, white and sepia-toned work. Her models resemble mysterious apparitions as they wander through deserted buildings and landscapes.
Turbeville's experimentation extended from the darkroom to the studio table, where photographs were cut or torn, then arranged, pinned and glued. The collages become hybrid objects, as much diaries as book maquettes, sketchbooks as photographic novels - all from a pre-digital age.
Turbeville deliberately distanced herself from the typical polished aesthetic that dominated fashion at the time. She developed a highly personal artistic universe, while continuing to produce work for fashion magazines. Sadly, she did not achieve the same recognition as her male counterparts in her own lifetime.
[*The Photographers' Gallery]

Taken in the Photographers' Gallery

Untitled (Palace of Princess Yliya Samoylova) Saint Petcrsburg Russia, 1995 - 1996
Silver Gelatin Print

Russia & Poland
Turbeville was fascinated with St. Petersburg, which she first visited in the early 1990s, she found the city frozen in time and a product of its rich history and literature. Turbeville wrote to Jacqueline Onassis, hoping to produce a book on Russia similar to Unseen Versailles. Onassis's untimely death in 1994 meant the project did not happen. Turbeville released the book Studio St. Petersburg (1997), filled with soft images of the city, speckled photographs of the ballet and old palaces. Her love of Russia never waned. She lived in St. Petersburg for many years - even teaching at the Baltic School of Photography in the early 2000s.*

Taken from the exhibition


Deborah Turbeville: Photocollage
(October 2024 - February 2025)

Deborah Turbeville's signature dreamlike and melancholic style became recognisable with her earliest works in the 1970s: enigmatic female figures, cloudy skies, wintry nature and abandoned, decaying surroundings. She deliberately distanced herself from the typical glamourous, polished aesthetic that dominated fashion at the time.
Deborah Turbeville: Photocollage presents Turbeville's trailblazing photographic explorations, from fashion photos to her very personal work. Bringing together unique pieces, the exhibition reveals Turbeville's highly personal artistic universe, which has been credited with transforming fashion imagery into avant-garde art.
The work of American photographer Deborah Turbeville, (1932-2013) defies classification. She established her signature style and key motifs from her very earliest works in the 1970s. Enigmatic female figures and abandoned, decaying surroundings reoccured in her work over the next four decades. This exhibition focusses on her collages, produced in parallel to her commissioned work with magazines and fashion brands
Between 1975 and 2013, her photographs were published in Vogue, Harper's Bazaar and the New York Times Magazine. She also worked for fashion houses including Comme des Garçons, Guy Laroche, Charles Jourdan, Calvin Klein, Emanuel Ungaro and Valentino. This was at a time when fashion photography was dominated by men. Turbeville consistently chose a path that ran counter to that of her male peers - Richard Avedon, Irving Penn, Helmut Newton and Guy Bourdin. Soft focus and overexposure brought a dusty tone to her black, white and sepia-toned work. Her models resemble mysterious apparitions as they wander through deserted buildings and landscapes.
Turbeville's experimentation extended from the darkroom to the studio table, where photographs were cut or torn, then arranged, pinned and glued. The collages become hybrid objects, as much diaries as book maquettes, sketchbooks as photographic novels - all from a pre-digital age.
Turbeville deliberately distanced herself from the typical polished aesthetic that dominated fashion at the time. She developed a highly personal artistic universe, while continuing to produce work for fashion magazines. Sadly, she did not achieve the same recognition as her male counterparts in her own lifetime.
[*The Photographers' Gallery]

Taken in the Photographers' Gallery

In 1986, Turbeville purchased a historic house in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico. Enamoured with the house and the town, she published a book Casa No Name dedicated to them both in 2009. In a departure from her previous publications, much of the book is focused on religious iconography. Despite a significant shift in subject her signature is ever-present, through photographs of crumbling frescoes, cracked walls and empty rooms illuminated only by candlelight.*

Taken from the exhibition


Deborah Turbeville: Photocollage
(October 2024 - February 2025)

Deborah Turbeville's signature dreamlike and melancholic style became recognisable with her earliest works in the 1970s: enigmatic female figures, cloudy skies, wintry nature and abandoned, decaying surroundings. She deliberately distanced herself from the typical glamourous, polished aesthetic that dominated fashion at the time.
Deborah Turbeville: Photocollage presents Turbeville's trailblazing photographic explorations, from fashion photos to her very personal work. Bringing together unique pieces, the exhibition reveals Turbeville's highly personal artistic universe, which has been credited with transforming fashion imagery into avant-garde art.
The work of American photographer Deborah Turbeville, (1932-2013) defies classification. She established her signature style and key motifs from her very earliest works in the 1970s. Enigmatic female figures and abandoned, decaying surroundings reoccured in her work over the next four decades. This exhibition focusses on her collages, produced in parallel to her commissioned work with magazines and fashion brands
Between 1975 and 2013, her photographs were published in Vogue, Harper's Bazaar and the New York Times Magazine. She also worked for fashion houses including Comme des Garçons, Guy Laroche, Charles Jourdan, Calvin Klein, Emanuel Ungaro and Valentino. This was at a time when fashion photography was dominated by men. Turbeville consistently chose a path that ran counter to that of her male peers - Richard Avedon, Irving Penn, Helmut Newton and Guy Bourdin. Soft focus and overexposure brought a dusty tone to her black, white and sepia-toned work. Her models resemble mysterious apparitions as they wander through deserted buildings and landscapes.
Turbeville's experimentation extended from the darkroom to the studio table, where photographs were cut or torn, then arranged, pinned and glued. The collages become hybrid objects, as much diaries as book maquettes, sketchbooks as photographic novels - all from a pre-digital age.
Turbeville deliberately distanced herself from the typical polished aesthetic that dominated fashion at the time. She developed a highly personal artistic universe, while continuing to produce work for fashion magazines. Sadly, she did not achieve the same recognition as her male counterparts in her own lifetime.
[*The Photographers' Gallery]

Taken in the Photographers' Gallery

Taken from the exhibition


Deborah Turbeville: Photocollage
(October 2024 - February 2025)

Deborah Turbeville's signature dreamlike and melancholic style became recognisable with her earliest works in the 1970s: enigmatic female figures, cloudy skies, wintry nature and abandoned, decaying surroundings. She deliberately distanced herself from the typical glamourous, polished aesthetic that dominated fashion at the time.
Deborah Turbeville: Photocollage presents Turbeville's trailblazing photographic explorations, from fashion photos to her very personal work. Bringing together unique pieces, the exhibition reveals Turbeville's highly personal artistic universe, which has been credited with transforming fashion imagery into avant-garde art.
The work of American photographer Deborah Turbeville, (1932-2013) defies classification. She established her signature style and key motifs from her very earliest works in the 1970s. Enigmatic female figures and abandoned, decaying surroundings reoccured in her work over the next four decades. This exhibition focusses on her collages, produced in parallel to her commissioned work with magazines and fashion brands
Between 1975 and 2013, her photographs were published in Vogue, Harper's Bazaar and the New York Times Magazine. She also worked for fashion houses including Comme des Garçons, Guy Laroche, Charles Jourdan, Calvin Klein, Emanuel Ungaro and Valentino. This was at a time when fashion photography was dominated by men. Turbeville consistently chose a path that ran counter to that of her male peers - Richard Avedon, Irving Penn, Helmut Newton and Guy Bourdin. Soft focus and overexposure brought a dusty tone to her black, white and sepia-toned work. Her models resemble mysterious apparitions as they wander through deserted buildings and landscapes.
Turbeville's experimentation extended from the darkroom to the studio table, where photographs were cut or torn, then arranged, pinned and glued. The collages become hybrid objects, as much diaries as book maquettes, sketchbooks as photographic novels - all from a pre-digital age.
Turbeville deliberately distanced herself from the typical polished aesthetic that dominated fashion at the time. She developed a highly personal artistic universe, while continuing to produce work for fashion magazines. Sadly, she did not achieve the same recognition as her male counterparts in her own lifetime.
[*The Photographers' Gallery]

Taken in the Photographers' Gallery

Unseen Versailles

Jacqueline Onassis commissioned Turbeville to photograph the Palace of Versailles during her tenure as an editor at the American publishing house Doubleday. With help from Onassis she gained access to the labyrinth of hidden chambers and antechambers which were off limits to tourists. She photographed barren rooms, Baroque furniture covered with sheets, broken statues, and curtains thick with dust. The curator of the estate initially blocked the introduction of props, but Onassis eventually gained her permission to bring in models in period costumes. Unseen Versailles won the American Book Award in 1982, and enabled Turbeville to find a readership outside fashion magazines.

Taken from the exhibition


Deborah Turbeville: Photocollage
(October 2024 - February 2025)

Deborah Turbeville's signature dreamlike and melancholic style became recognisable with her earliest works in the 1970s: enigmatic female figures, cloudy skies, wintry nature and abandoned, decaying surroundings. She deliberately distanced herself from the typical glamourous, polished aesthetic that dominated fashion at the time.
Deborah Turbeville: Photocollage presents Turbeville's trailblazing photographic explorations, from fashion photos to her very personal work. Bringing together unique pieces, the exhibition reveals Turbeville's highly personal artistic universe, which has been credited with transforming fashion imagery into avant-garde art.
The work of American photographer Deborah Turbeville, (1932-2013) defies classification. She established her signature style and key motifs from her very earliest works in the 1970s. Enigmatic female figures and abandoned, decaying surroundings reoccured in her work over the next four decades. This exhibition focusses on her collages, produced in parallel to her commissioned work with magazines and fashion brands
Between 1975 and 2013, her photographs were published in Vogue, Harper's Bazaar and the New York Times Magazine. She also worked for fashion houses including Comme des Garçons, Guy Laroche, Charles Jourdan, Calvin Klein, Emanuel Ungaro and Valentino. This was at a time when fashion photography was dominated by men. Turbeville consistently chose a path that ran counter to that of her male peers - Richard Avedon, Irving Penn, Helmut Newton and Guy Bourdin. Soft focus and overexposure brought a dusty tone to her black, white and sepia-toned work. Her models resemble mysterious apparitions as they wander through deserted buildings and landscapes.
Turbeville's experimentation extended from the darkroom to the studio table, where photographs were cut or torn, then arranged, pinned and glued. The collages become hybrid objects, as much diaries as book maquettes, sketchbooks as photographic novels - all from a pre-digital age.
Turbeville deliberately distanced herself from the typical polished aesthetic that dominated fashion at the time. She developed a highly personal artistic universe, while continuing to produce work for fashion magazines. Sadly, she did not achieve the same recognition as her male counterparts in her own lifetime.
[*The Photographers' Gallery]

Taken in the Photographers' Gallery

Unseen Versailles

Jacqueline Onassis commissioned Turbeville to photograph the Palace of Versailles during her tenure as an editor at the American publishing house Doubleday. With help from Onassis she gained access to the labyrinth of hidden chambers and antechambers which were off limits to tourists. She photographed barren rooms, Baroque furniture covered with sheets, broken statues, and curtains thick with dust. The curator of the estate initially blocked the introduction of props, but Onassis eventually gained her permission to bring in models in period costumes. Unseen Versailles won the American Book Award in 1982, and enabled Turbeville to find a readership outside fashion magazines.

Taken from the exhibition


Deborah Turbeville: Photocollage
(October 2024 - February 2025)

Deborah Turbeville's signature dreamlike and melancholic style became recognisable with her earliest works in the 1970s: enigmatic female figures, cloudy skies, wintry nature and abandoned, decaying surroundings. She deliberately distanced herself from the typical glamourous, polished aesthetic that dominated fashion at the time.
Deborah Turbeville: Photocollage presents Turbeville's trailblazing photographic explorations, from fashion photos to her very personal work. Bringing together unique pieces, the exhibition reveals Turbeville's highly personal artistic universe, which has been credited with transforming fashion imagery into avant-garde art.
The work of American photographer Deborah Turbeville, (1932-2013) defies classification. She established her signature style and key motifs from her very earliest works in the 1970s. Enigmatic female figures and abandoned, decaying surroundings reoccured in her work over the next four decades. This exhibition focusses on her collages, produced in parallel to her commissioned work with magazines and fashion brands
Between 1975 and 2013, her photographs were published in Vogue, Harper's Bazaar and the New York Times Magazine. She also worked for fashion houses including Comme des Garçons, Guy Laroche, Charles Jourdan, Calvin Klein, Emanuel Ungaro and Valentino. This was at a time when fashion photography was dominated by men. Turbeville consistently chose a path that ran counter to that of her male peers - Richard Avedon, Irving Penn, Helmut Newton and Guy Bourdin. Soft focus and overexposure brought a dusty tone to her black, white and sepia-toned work. Her models resemble mysterious apparitions as they wander through deserted buildings and landscapes.
Turbeville's experimentation extended from the darkroom to the studio table, where photographs were cut or torn, then arranged, pinned and glued. The collages become hybrid objects, as much diaries as book maquettes, sketchbooks as photographic novels - all from a pre-digital age.
Turbeville deliberately distanced herself from the typical polished aesthetic that dominated fashion at the time. She developed a highly personal artistic universe, while continuing to produce work for fashion magazines. Sadly, she did not achieve the same recognition as her male counterparts in her own lifetime.
[*The Photographers' Gallery]

Taken in the Photographers' Gallery

After 20 years in New York, Turbeville decamped to Paris in the late 1970s. Newly emigrated, Turbeville discovered the École des Beaux-Arts. This complex of 19th century buildings provided the perfect backdrop for Turbeville, who was enchanted with this period. Scattered around the school, her models were powdered in chalky white, transforming into living statues. Many of these were collaged, and printed in her book Wallflower (1978), and later in Past Imperfect (2009).*

Taken from the exhibition


Deborah Turbeville: Photocollage
(October 2024 - February 2025)

Deborah Turbeville's signature dreamlike and melancholic style became recognisable with her earliest works in the 1970s: enigmatic female figures, cloudy skies, wintry nature and abandoned, decaying surroundings. She deliberately distanced herself from the typical glamourous, polished aesthetic that dominated fashion at the time.
Deborah Turbeville: Photocollage presents Turbeville's trailblazing photographic explorations, from fashion photos to her very personal work. Bringing together unique pieces, the exhibition reveals Turbeville's highly personal artistic universe, which has been credited with transforming fashion imagery into avant-garde art.
The work of American photographer Deborah Turbeville, (1932-2013) defies classification. She established her signature style and key motifs from her very earliest works in the 1970s. Enigmatic female figures and abandoned, decaying surroundings reoccured in her work over the next four decades. This exhibition focusses on her collages, produced in parallel to her commissioned work with magazines and fashion brands
Between 1975 and 2013, her photographs were published in Vogue, Harper's Bazaar and the New York Times Magazine. She also worked for fashion houses including Comme des Garçons, Guy Laroche, Charles Jourdan, Calvin Klein, Emanuel Ungaro and Valentino. This was at a time when fashion photography was dominated by men. Turbeville consistently chose a path that ran counter to that of her male peers - Richard Avedon, Irving Penn, Helmut Newton and Guy Bourdin. Soft focus and overexposure brought a dusty tone to her black, white and sepia-toned work. Her models resemble mysterious apparitions as they wander through deserted buildings and landscapes.
Turbeville's experimentation extended from the darkroom to the studio table, where photographs were cut or torn, then arranged, pinned and glued. The collages become hybrid objects, as much diaries as book maquettes, sketchbooks as photographic novels - all from a pre-digital age.
Turbeville deliberately distanced herself from the typical polished aesthetic that dominated fashion at the time. She developed a highly personal artistic universe, while continuing to produce work for fashion magazines. Sadly, she did not achieve the same recognition as her male counterparts in her own lifetime.
[*The Photographers' Gallery]

Taken in the Photographers' Gallery

Passport, Circa 1990
Pages from Passport
Mixed Media

In the late 1980s Turbeville began work on a novella, originally titled A Strange Tale Concerning Ivana P., later becoming Passport. Concerning the Disappearance of Alix P The story is both autofiction and satire, taken from her experiences of working in the fashion industry.
Passport tells the story of Alix, a designer at the peak of her career, having just presented her latest collection in Paris. A character, the Empress, is a clear reference to her friend and mentor Diana Vreeland. The industry pressure bears down on Alix and she confides in The Empress, who whisks her away to a hidden sanitorium. From there, Alix chronicles her mental state in a diary Although the novella was never published, it inspired Turbeville to create a series of 130 collages.*

Taken from the exhibition


Deborah Turbeville: Photocollage
(October 2024 - February 2025)

Deborah Turbeville's signature dreamlike and melancholic style became recognisable with her earliest works in the 1970s: enigmatic female figures, cloudy skies, wintry nature and abandoned, decaying surroundings. She deliberately distanced herself from the typical glamourous, polished aesthetic that dominated fashion at the time.
Deborah Turbeville: Photocollage presents Turbeville's trailblazing photographic explorations, from fashion photos to her very personal work. Bringing together unique pieces, the exhibition reveals Turbeville's highly personal artistic universe, which has been credited with transforming fashion imagery into avant-garde art.
The work of American photographer Deborah Turbeville, (1932-2013) defies classification. She established her signature style and key motifs from her very earliest works in the 1970s. Enigmatic female figures and abandoned, decaying surroundings reoccured in her work over the next four decades. This exhibition focusses on her collages, produced in parallel to her commissioned work with magazines and fashion brands
Between 1975 and 2013, her photographs were published in Vogue, Harper's Bazaar and the New York Times Magazine. She also worked for fashion houses including Comme des Garçons, Guy Laroche, Charles Jourdan, Calvin Klein, Emanuel Ungaro and Valentino. This was at a time when fashion photography was dominated by men. Turbeville consistently chose a path that ran counter to that of her male peers - Richard Avedon, Irving Penn, Helmut Newton and Guy Bourdin. Soft focus and overexposure brought a dusty tone to her black, white and sepia-toned work. Her models resemble mysterious apparitions as they wander through deserted buildings and landscapes.
Turbeville's experimentation extended from the darkroom to the studio table, where photographs were cut or torn, then arranged, pinned and glued. The collages become hybrid objects, as much diaries as book maquettes, sketchbooks as photographic novels - all from a pre-digital age.
Turbeville deliberately distanced herself from the typical polished aesthetic that dominated fashion at the time. She developed a highly personal artistic universe, while continuing to produce work for fashion magazines. Sadly, she did not achieve the same recognition as her male counterparts in her own lifetime.
[*The Photographers' Gallery]

Taken in the Photographers' Gallery

In 1986, Turbeville purchased a historic house in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico. Enamoured with the house and the town, she published a book Casa No Name dedicated to them both in 2009. In a departure from her previous publications, much of the book is focused on religious iconography. Despite a significant shift in subject her signature is ever-present, through photographs of crumbling frescoes, cracked walls and empty rooms illuminated only by candlelight.*

Taken from the exhibition


Deborah Turbeville: Photocollage
(October 2024 - February 2025)

Deborah Turbeville's signature dreamlike and melancholic style became recognisable with her earliest works in the 1970s: enigmatic female figures, cloudy skies, wintry nature and abandoned, decaying surroundings. She deliberately distanced herself from the typical glamourous, polished aesthetic that dominated fashion at the time.
Deborah Turbeville: Photocollage presents Turbeville's trailblazing photographic explorations, from fashion photos to her very personal work. Bringing together unique pieces, the exhibition reveals Turbeville's highly personal artistic universe, which has been credited with transforming fashion imagery into avant-garde art.
The work of American photographer Deborah Turbeville, (1932-2013) defies classification. She established her signature style and key motifs from her very earliest works in the 1970s. Enigmatic female figures and abandoned, decaying surroundings reoccured in her work over the next four decades. This exhibition focusses on her collages, produced in parallel to her commissioned work with magazines and fashion brands
Between 1975 and 2013, her photographs were published in Vogue, Harper's Bazaar and the New York Times Magazine. She also worked for fashion houses including Comme des Garçons, Guy Laroche, Charles Jourdan, Calvin Klein, Emanuel Ungaro and Valentino. This was at a time when fashion photography was dominated by men. Turbeville consistently chose a path that ran counter to that of her male peers - Richard Avedon, Irving Penn, Helmut Newton and Guy Bourdin. Soft focus and overexposure brought a dusty tone to her black, white and sepia-toned work. Her models resemble mysterious apparitions as they wander through deserted buildings and landscapes.
Turbeville's experimentation extended from the darkroom to the studio table, where photographs were cut or torn, then arranged, pinned and glued. The collages become hybrid objects, as much diaries as book maquettes, sketchbooks as photographic novels - all from a pre-digital age.
Turbeville deliberately distanced herself from the typical polished aesthetic that dominated fashion at the time. She developed a highly personal artistic universe, while continuing to produce work for fashion magazines. Sadly, she did not achieve the same recognition as her male counterparts in her own lifetime.
[*The Photographers' Gallery]

Taken in the Photographers' Gallery

Unseen Versailles

Jacqueline Onassis commissioned Turbeville to photograph the Palace of Versailles during her tenure as an editor at the American publishing house Doubleday. With help from Onassis she gained access to the labyrinth of hidden chambers and antechambers which were off limits to tourists. She photographed barren rooms, Baroque furniture covered with sheets, broken statues, and curtains thick with dust. The curator of the estate initially blocked the introduction of props, but Onassis eventually gained her permission to bring in models in period costumes. Unseen Versailles won the American Book Award in 1982, and enabled Turbeville to find a readership outside fashion magazines.

Taken from the exhibition


Deborah Turbeville: Photocollage
(October 2024 - February 2025)

Deborah Turbeville's signature dreamlike and melancholic style became recognisable with her earliest works in the 1970s: enigmatic female figures, cloudy skies, wintry nature and abandoned, decaying surroundings. She deliberately distanced herself from the typical glamourous, polished aesthetic that dominated fashion at the time.
Deborah Turbeville: Photocollage presents Turbeville's trailblazing photographic explorations, from fashion photos to her very personal work. Bringing together unique pieces, the exhibition reveals Turbeville's highly personal artistic universe, which has been credited with transforming fashion imagery into avant-garde art.
The work of American photographer Deborah Turbeville, (1932-2013) defies classification. She established her signature style and key motifs from her very earliest works in the 1970s. Enigmatic female figures and abandoned, decaying surroundings reoccured in her work over the next four decades. This exhibition focusses on her collages, produced in parallel to her commissioned work with magazines and fashion brands
Between 1975 and 2013, her photographs were published in Vogue, Harper's Bazaar and the New York Times Magazine. She also worked for fashion houses including Comme des Garçons, Guy Laroche, Charles Jourdan, Calvin Klein, Emanuel Ungaro and Valentino. This was at a time when fashion photography was dominated by men. Turbeville consistently chose a path that ran counter to that of her male peers - Richard Avedon, Irving Penn, Helmut Newton and Guy Bourdin. Soft focus and overexposure brought a dusty tone to her black, white and sepia-toned work. Her models resemble mysterious apparitions as they wander through deserted buildings and landscapes.
Turbeville's experimentation extended from the darkroom to the studio table, where photographs were cut or torn, then arranged, pinned and glued. The collages become hybrid objects, as much diaries as book maquettes, sketchbooks as photographic novels - all from a pre-digital age.
Turbeville deliberately distanced herself from the typical polished aesthetic that dominated fashion at the time. She developed a highly personal artistic universe, while continuing to produce work for fashion magazines. Sadly, she did not achieve the same recognition as her male counterparts in her own lifetime.
[*The Photographers' Gallery]

Taken in the Photographers' Gallery

Taken from the exhibition


Deborah Turbeville: Photocollage
(October 2024 - February 2025)

Deborah Turbeville's signature dreamlike and melancholic style became recognisable with her earliest works in the 1970s: enigmatic female figures, cloudy skies, wintry nature and abandoned, decaying surroundings. She deliberately distanced herself from the typical glamourous, polished aesthetic that dominated fashion at the time.
Deborah Turbeville: Photocollage presents Turbeville's trailblazing photographic explorations, from fashion photos to her very personal work. Bringing together unique pieces, the exhibition reveals Turbeville's highly personal artistic universe, which has been credited with transforming fashion imagery into avant-garde art.
The work of American photographer Deborah Turbeville, (1932-2013) defies classification. She established her signature style and key motifs from her very earliest works in the 1970s. Enigmatic female figures and abandoned, decaying surroundings reoccured in her work over the next four decades. This exhibition focusses on her collages, produced in parallel to her commissioned work with magazines and fashion brands
Between 1975 and 2013, her photographs were published in Vogue, Harper's Bazaar and the New York Times Magazine. She also worked for fashion houses including Comme des Garçons, Guy Laroche, Charles Jourdan, Calvin Klein, Emanuel Ungaro and Valentino. This was at a time when fashion photography was dominated by men. Turbeville consistently chose a path that ran counter to that of her male peers - Richard Avedon, Irving Penn, Helmut Newton and Guy Bourdin. Soft focus and overexposure brought a dusty tone to her black, white and sepia-toned work. Her models resemble mysterious apparitions as they wander through deserted buildings and landscapes.
Turbeville's experimentation extended from the darkroom to the studio table, where photographs were cut or torn, then arranged, pinned and glued. The collages become hybrid objects, as much diaries as book maquettes, sketchbooks as photographic novels - all from a pre-digital age.
Turbeville deliberately distanced herself from the typical polished aesthetic that dominated fashion at the time. She developed a highly personal artistic universe, while continuing to produce work for fashion magazines. Sadly, she did not achieve the same recognition as her male counterparts in her own lifetime.
[*The Photographers' Gallery]

Taken in the Photographers' Gallery

In 1986, Turbeville purchased a historic house in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico. Enamoured with the house and the town, she published a book Casa No Name dedicated to them both in 2009. In a departure from her previous publications, much of the book is focused on religious iconography. Despite a significant shift in subject her signature is ever-present, through photographs of crumbling frescoes, cracked walls and empty rooms illuminated only by candlelight.*

Taken from the exhibition


Deborah Turbeville: Photocollage
(October 2024 - February 2025)

Deborah Turbeville's signature dreamlike and melancholic style became recognisable with her earliest works in the 1970s: enigmatic female figures, cloudy skies, wintry nature and abandoned, decaying surroundings. She deliberately distanced herself from the typical glamourous, polished aesthetic that dominated fashion at the time.
Deborah Turbeville: Photocollage presents Turbeville's trailblazing photographic explorations, from fashion photos to her very personal work. Bringing together unique pieces, the exhibition reveals Turbeville's highly personal artistic universe, which has been credited with transforming fashion imagery into avant-garde art.
The work of American photographer Deborah Turbeville, (1932-2013) defies classification. She established her signature style and key motifs from her very earliest works in the 1970s. Enigmatic female figures and abandoned, decaying surroundings reoccured in her work over the next four decades. This exhibition focusses on her collages, produced in parallel to her commissioned work with magazines and fashion brands
Between 1975 and 2013, her photographs were published in Vogue, Harper's Bazaar and the New York Times Magazine. She also worked for fashion houses including Comme des Garçons, Guy Laroche, Charles Jourdan, Calvin Klein, Emanuel Ungaro and Valentino. This was at a time when fashion photography was dominated by men. Turbeville consistently chose a path that ran counter to that of her male peers - Richard Avedon, Irving Penn, Helmut Newton and Guy Bourdin. Soft focus and overexposure brought a dusty tone to her black, white and sepia-toned work. Her models resemble mysterious apparitions as they wander through deserted buildings and landscapes.
Turbeville's experimentation extended from the darkroom to the studio table, where photographs were cut or torn, then arranged, pinned and glued. The collages become hybrid objects, as much diaries as book maquettes, sketchbooks as photographic novels - all from a pre-digital age.
Turbeville deliberately distanced herself from the typical polished aesthetic that dominated fashion at the time. She developed a highly personal artistic universe, while continuing to produce work for fashion magazines. Sadly, she did not achieve the same recognition as her male counterparts in her own lifetime.
[*The Photographers' Gallery]

Taken in the Photographers' Gallery

In 1986, Turbeville purchased a historic house in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico. Enamoured with the house and the town, she published a book Casa No Name dedicated to them both in 2009. In a departure from her previous publications, much of the book is focused on religious iconography. Despite a significant shift in subject her signature is ever-present, through photographs of crumbling frescoes, cracked walls and empty rooms illuminated only by candlelight.*

Taken from the exhibition


Deborah Turbeville: Photocollage
(October 2024 - February 2025)

Deborah Turbeville's signature dreamlike and melancholic style became recognisable with her earliest works in the 1970s: enigmatic female figures, cloudy skies, wintry nature and abandoned, decaying surroundings. She deliberately distanced herself from the typical glamourous, polished aesthetic that dominated fashion at the time.
Deborah Turbeville: Photocollage presents Turbeville's trailblazing photographic explorations, from fashion photos to her very personal work. Bringing together unique pieces, the exhibition reveals Turbeville's highly personal artistic universe, which has been credited with transforming fashion imagery into avant-garde art.
The work of American photographer Deborah Turbeville, (1932-2013) defies classification. She established her signature style and key motifs from her very earliest works in the 1970s. Enigmatic female figures and abandoned, decaying surroundings reoccured in her work over the next four decades. This exhibition focusses on her collages, produced in parallel to her commissioned work with magazines and fashion brands
Between 1975 and 2013, her photographs were published in Vogue, Harper's Bazaar and the New York Times Magazine. She also worked for fashion houses including Comme des Garçons, Guy Laroche, Charles Jourdan, Calvin Klein, Emanuel Ungaro and Valentino. This was at a time when fashion photography was dominated by men. Turbeville consistently chose a path that ran counter to that of her male peers - Richard Avedon, Irving Penn, Helmut Newton and Guy Bourdin. Soft focus and overexposure brought a dusty tone to her black, white and sepia-toned work. Her models resemble mysterious apparitions as they wander through deserted buildings and landscapes.
Turbeville's experimentation extended from the darkroom to the studio table, where photographs were cut or torn, then arranged, pinned and glued. The collages become hybrid objects, as much diaries as book maquettes, sketchbooks as photographic novels - all from a pre-digital age.
Turbeville deliberately distanced herself from the typical polished aesthetic that dominated fashion at the time. She developed a highly personal artistic universe, while continuing to produce work for fashion magazines. Sadly, she did not achieve the same recognition as her male counterparts in her own lifetime.
[*The Photographers' Gallery]

Taken in the Photographers' Gallery

After 20 years in New York, Turbeville decamped to Paris in the late 1970s. Newly emigrated, Turbeville discovered the École des Beaux-Arts. This complex of 19th century buildings provided the perfect backdrop for Turbeville, who was enchanted with this period. Scattered around the school, her models were powdered in chalky white, transforming into living statues. Many of these were collaged, and printed in her book Wallflower (1978), and later in Past Imperfect (2009).*

Taken from the exhibition


Deborah Turbeville: Photocollage
(October 2024 - February 2025)

Deborah Turbeville's signature dreamlike and melancholic style became recognisable with her earliest works in the 1970s: enigmatic female figures, cloudy skies, wintry nature and abandoned, decaying surroundings. She deliberately distanced herself from the typical glamourous, polished aesthetic that dominated fashion at the time.
Deborah Turbeville: Photocollage presents Turbeville's trailblazing photographic explorations, from fashion photos to her very personal work. Bringing together unique pieces, the exhibition reveals Turbeville's highly personal artistic universe, which has been credited with transforming fashion imagery into avant-garde art.
The work of American photographer Deborah Turbeville, (1932-2013) defies classification. She established her signature style and key motifs from her very earliest works in the 1970s. Enigmatic female figures and abandoned, decaying surroundings reoccured in her work over the next four decades. This exhibition focusses on her collages, produced in parallel to her commissioned work with magazines and fashion brands
Between 1975 and 2013, her photographs were published in Vogue, Harper's Bazaar and the New York Times Magazine. She also worked for fashion houses including Comme des Garçons, Guy Laroche, Charles Jourdan, Calvin Klein, Emanuel Ungaro and Valentino. This was at a time when fashion photography was dominated by men. Turbeville consistently chose a path that ran counter to that of her male peers - Richard Avedon, Irving Penn, Helmut Newton and Guy Bourdin. Soft focus and overexposure brought a dusty tone to her black, white and sepia-toned work. Her models resemble mysterious apparitions as they wander through deserted buildings and landscapes.
Turbeville's experimentation extended from the darkroom to the studio table, where photographs were cut or torn, then arranged, pinned and glued. The collages become hybrid objects, as much diaries as book maquettes, sketchbooks as photographic novels - all from a pre-digital age.
Turbeville deliberately distanced herself from the typical polished aesthetic that dominated fashion at the time. She developed a highly personal artistic universe, while continuing to produce work for fashion magazines. Sadly, she did not achieve the same recognition as her male counterparts in her own lifetime.
[*The Photographers' Gallery]

Taken in the Photographers' Gallery