Description

Plunge inside for a heady, heavy dose of pin-up photography at its raunchiest and most atmospheric. New York’s Viva Van Story has redefined the art of the pin-up with her raw energy, kick-ass perfectionist attitude, punk-rock approach to lighting and her unfailing instinct for capturing a vintage aesthetic.

About the author

Viva Van Story grew up in a small town in Wisconsin, where she dreamed of one day being an artist. Right after high school, she headed to New York City with a suitcase, portfolio and US$100. She took drawing classes at Parsons whilst doing odd jobs to pay the rent, and then she met photographer John Santerineross, which changed her direction. Modelling for John on his book Fruits of the Secret God opened her eyes to a new medium with many possibilities. Viva decided it was time for her to take charge, and she stepped to the other side of the lens.

Since then, she has become one of the most respected and busiest pin-up photographers. Full of atmosphere and suggestion, her photographs perfectly capture a retro-raunch vibe of passion and desire. Her timeless images range from smouldering seduction to coquettish playfulness, as she depicts women who are sexy but also empowered, ironic and complex. Viva’s work regularly appears in publications such as Bizarre, Car Kulture Deluxe, Deadbeat, Dice, Edge Detroit, Leg Show, New York Post, Ol’ Skool Rodz, Real Detroit Weekly, Retro Lovely and Traditional Rod and Kulture.

Foreword by Tyson McAdoo

Tyson McAdoo is a comic book artist and pin-up illustrator based in Atlanta. Born in 1978, he studied at the Joe Kubert School of Cartooning and Graphic Arts, graduating in 2000 before working for both DC and Marvel Comics. His current body of work focuses primarily on female figurative digital paintings, blending abstraction and realism to create a distinctive style of pin-up art.

Introduction by Andrea Grant

Andrea Grant is a Canadian-born writer, multimedia artist and pin-up model of mixed-blood Coast Salish Native ancestry. She is the author of the poetry collection The Pin-Up Poet and the creator of the MINX graphic novel series, which blends Coast Salish folklore with Greek mythology. Based in New York, her work across poetry, comics, film and performance explores themes of heritage, identity and female empowerment.