VERLAG, Germany - Publisher Die Gestalten is set to release a full-color, hardcover retrospective book featuring performers in Michelle Carr's dance troupe The Velvet Hammer Burlesque.
Carr told AVN Novelty Business she feels honored to have been asked by Die Gestalten to have the book published.
"They are top notch," she said. We just accumulated so much wonderful material from so many talented photographers that it just seemed perfectly natural to put out a book. I only wish that the book was slightly bigger to include even more photographs-there is just so much great stuff. It was really hard to edit... but I had full faith in the publisher's taste."
The troupe, which featured women of all shapes and sizes, is said to have inspired the current resurgence of neo-burlesque and caused furor on stages worldwide. The Velvet Hammer Burlesque book includes photographs of the group's "voluptuous" ensemble, both on stage and behind the scenes.
Troupe performer Selene Luna told ANB that Carr singlehandedly started the burlesque revival, when she created The Velvet Hammer, and that she has been enriched by the experience.
"The book is an 11-year retrospective, which highlights the work of 25 photographers who shot us over the years," Luna explained. "The Velvet Hammer Burlesque gave me the confidence I needed to rock a stage. I had the time of my life performing with the troop and developed life-long friendships with like-minded showgirls who are as beautiful and inspiring as they are bad-ass."
A photo exhibition, book signing and cocktail reception was held Saturday, February 23 at La Luz de Jesus Gallery in Hollywood. The exhibition featured works of photographers-who contributed to the book-including, Richard Edson, Jody Ake, Manuel Vason, Andrea Oliviera, Hussein Katz, Marie Astrid Gonzalez, Austin Young, Victoria Renard, Susan Anderson, Deborah Samantha, Annie Sperling, Don Spiro, Valerie Davis, Patrick Morrisson, Kevin Merrill, W.T. Nelson, Charchi Stinson, Carmen Luceno, and Scott Lindgren.
The photo exhibition will remain open until Sunday at La Luz de Jesus Gallery in Hollywood, Calif. To see more on the photo exhibition at La Luz de Jesus, visit LAWeekly.com or LAist.com.
The book will be distributed in the United States by Prestel Publishing. Send email to [email protected] for more information.
To see photo excerpts from the book, click here.
