Although it’s the pictures taken in a Prague on-line brothel in ‘Big Sister‘ by Czech photographer Hana Jakrlova that are attracting most attention (my favourite is a polar room set with roofless igloo and large polar bear, otherwise vacant) I think the best work on her site are the black and white images, particularly in her ‘Europe’ portfolio.
I’ve not previously come across the idea of an on-line brothel, but apparently it is yet another case of de-professionalisation, this time of the porn industry, where male performers now actually pay while punters watch over the internet. At least as yet photographers are only expected to work for nothing rather than pay for the privilege.
Jakrlova was born in Brno 1969, and studied architecture for 7 years in Prague, then two years at the Institute of Creative Photography in Opava. Later she did a year at the ICP in New York. She has lived in London, Paris and New York, and now works from both Prague and New York.
On the website you can also preview her two books, in the meantime: europe (2006) and the rather more conventional ways of communication (2000.) It’s a shame that this actually seems to be the only way that either of these two books are generally available, although a Dutch version of the later book is listed.
Peter Marshall