As humans we are programmed to instinctively respond to beauty. It has an indescribable quality that lifts our spirits and opens our hearts. Yet while this intangible essence can be hard to define, it's nonetheless instantly recognizable. Over the course of his illustrious career, photographer Kenneth Willardt has captured an impressive array of images that epitomize our contemporary concept of beauty. Although varied in their theme and subject matter, these finely structured compositions all possess a timeless elegance that draws us in. Equally at home in both black and white and color images, viewers of Willardt's photography will be struck by the intimacy that characterizes his work. It will be no surprise, then, to learn that the subjects displayed here are celebrities that fascinate him or models he knows as friends. With this freedom and informality between photographer and models, the images are intensely direct and real.
