The opening lines to Robin Givhan’s Washington Post article about Beyoncé’s Vogue cover were not what I expected whatsoever, and it was that surprise that pulled me into this article: “Beyoncé’s latest Vogue cover has been birthed into the world, and it is lovely. Which is a compliment. It’s historic, because it’s the first cover shot by an African American photographer.”

With that opening, Givhan has turned this piece into a celebration of the artist rather than the already famous subject. It isn’t even the photograph itself that Givhan praises – it’s the artist himself and his accomplishment of being the first to break this barrier. In every sense, from the rumpled background to the fuzzy quality of the image, the photograph seems to emphasize its own imperfection. The imperfections are meant to make us feel like we are there; the image is meant to feel intimate and bring the iconic persona of Beyoncé down to our own level. He wanted to show the star as a normal human with a natural body, using very little makeup and avoiding wigs or hair extensions. I really enjoyed learning that Beyoncé chose this photographer, Tyler Mitchell, not just for his notable photographs and experience, but also for the prospect of making history.

Two questions:

1. Since you’ve spent so long observing peoples’ choices when it comes to fashion, do you, in general, see fashion as a mask people use to hide behind or a platform for reflecting one’s true personality?
2. In this piece you rode a blurred line between discussing art (photography) and fashion (Beyoncé’s clothing/makeup choices), and you described the overall message of the photograph as a celebration of natural bodies and intimacy/balance between the subject and the viewer. Would you say the fashion in the photo or the photograph itself (composition, artistic techniques/decisions) plays a greater role in conveying this message?