For the first time since I began this blog five years ago, I can feature the Pirelli Calendar without having to tag the post NSFW.
For 39 years, the Pirelli Calendar has been known for it's risque and artful photos of female and male nudity (like the Sexy Greek Gods calendar from 2011). But this year, the calendar, shot in Rio by photojournalist Steve McCurry, includes images of fully clothed models, actresses and singers along with pictures of Brazil's art and culture. A departure from the past, McCurry wanted this year's calendar to focus on women active in charity and let their sexiness and beauty exude from within. In addition to the models, the calendar features several images of Brazil's people, art and culture.
The models in the 2013 Pirelli calendar.
Brazilian model Isabeli Fontana:
Brazilian model Adriana Lima:
Actress Sonia Braga:
Singer Marisa Monte:
Italian-egyptian actress Elisa Sednaoui:
Czech model Petra Nemcova:
Tunisian model Hanaa Ben Abdesslem:
Ethiopian model Liya Kebede:
American model Karlie Kloss:
American model Kyleigh Kuhn:
American model Summer Rayne Oakes:
The press has only released 6 images of the 34 thus far, But I've included several more shots in the form of stills from a video about 'the making of' for you:
Summer Rayne Oakes stands alluringly amongst the bamboo:
A pregnant and sexy Adriana Lima:
Brazilian actress Sonia Braga amidst the ruins:
Capoeira masters practicing their art in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil:
A fruit seller at the market in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil:
Street art in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil:
Other shots from the calendar:
Steve Curry talks about shooting the calendar in the "Behind The Scenes" video below:
The 40th edition of the calendar includes 34 color photographs, including 23 portraits of actresses, singers and models, nine photographs depicting Rio de Janeiro’s everyday life, and two pictures of graffiti art and murals.
Adriana Lima, who was photographed while pregnant, is joined in the calendar by Elisa Sednaoui, Petra Nemcova, Isabeli Fontana, Sonia Braga, Liya Kebede and Karlie Kloss.
Launched in 1964, the Pirelli calendar has attracted some of the most famous photographers over the years, including Herb Ritts, Albert Watson, Richard Avedon, Helmut Newton, Annie Liebovitz, Mario Testino, Mario Sorrenti, Karl Lagerfeld, Terry Richardson, Peter Beard and Patrick Demarchelier.
Wish you could see all the past Pirelli Calendars? there have been several books published of Pirelli's calendars over the years:
The Press Release:
There are 34 colorful images in the 2013 Pirelli Calendar, bound together in a calendar-book: 23 portraits of actresses and models, nine images depicting bits and pieces of daily life, and two pictures entirely composed of graffiti and murals. These represent an expression of popular artistic expression that attracted McCurry's attention with their ability to reflect the social aspects he was interpreting, and became the background in many photographs.
The Calendar features 11 models, actresses and singers: Brazilians Isabeli Fontana (who appeared in Bruce Weber's 2003 Pirelli Calendar, in Patrick Demarchelier's 2005 edition, in Peter Beard's of 2009, in Karl Lagerfeld's of 2011 and in Mario Sorrenti's of 2012) and Adriana Lima (also in Patrick Demarchelier's 2005 edition), actress Sonia Braga and singer Marisa Monte; Italian-egyptian actress Elisa Sednaoui, Czech model Petra Nemcova, Tunisian model Hanaa Ben Abdesslem, Ethiopian model Liya Kebede, and American models Karlie Kloss, Kyleigh Kuhn and Summer Rayne Oakes.
"I tried to portray Brazil, its landscape, its economy and its culture, along with the human element" said McCurry. "This was the story I wanted to tell through my lens. For me photography is an important expressive means to tell large and small stories of daily life." In the background, Rio is bustling with life, with its historic quarters like Lapa and Santa Teresa, its favelas, its bars and nightclubs, its markets, dance centers and gyms, its schools and bus stops. The city appears at its most authentic, very different from the usual stereotypes. "I walked a lot through the streets, looking at all these moments of daily life and taking lots and lots of pictures," said McCurry. "I look for the moment of passage, when the image reveals a bit of tension."
“I would say I am a street photographer doing ‘found situations.’ You can photograph nudes anywhere. But these models are clothed, and each of them has her own charity. They are purposeful and idealistic people. So I wanted to photograph them in a special place, and Rio was perfect for this,”
Presented in Rio de Janeiro at the "Pier Mauá", warehouses at the old port of the "Cidade Maravilhosa.
Other Links to Pirelli posts:
• Pirelli Makes More Than Tires: Pirelli Films, Calendars, Clothes & Watches
• Models As Sexy Greek Gods & Goddesses For The 2011 Pirelli Calendar - ALL 36 PICS (NSFW)
• The 15 Best 2009 Calendars: From Pentagram To Pirelli
