High Glitz

High Glitz is a close-up and intimate look at America’s?child beauty pageants, and in turn our society’s obsession?with youth, beauty, fame, and fortune. Susan Anderson’s?vibrant portraits of pageant contestants twist notions of?sexuality and identity, with a new perspective on this uniquely?American subculture.

“High Glitz” is a subgenre of child beauty pageants?characterized by couture “glitz” costumes and a broad array?of cosmetic preparations including, among other tricks of the?trade: glamour makeup, elaborate hairstyles, and “flippers”?(false front teeth veneers). Anderson’s stunning visuals are?complimented by a “High Glitz Style Guide,” defining and?providing examples of the following categories: Beauty/Formal Wear, Western Wear, Sportswear, and Swimwear, with?a special section on hairstyles such as “the Barbie” and the?“Up-do.”

Each year as many as 100,000 children under the age of 12?participate in U.S. child beauty pageants, and it has recently?become a billion-dollar industry. Parents invest thousands?of dollars on costumes and private coaches to give their?children a competitive edge. Countless hours are spent?by professional hair and makeup artists on each child in?preparation for the competition. The girls are spray-tanned,?made-up, and groomed to a glossy perfection. Anderson?captures the results of this time-consuming transformation?process in exquisite detail.

In seeing how our society’s values of beauty, glamour, and?celebrity are reflected in the hopes and dreams of thousands?of young girls, we come to see that these pageants are a?reflection of American culture itself.

Susan Anderson is a Los Angeles based commercial,?editorial, and fine art photographer, specializing in portraiture,?beauty, fashion, and conceptual/narrative work. Having?earned her Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree form the prestigious?Art Institute of Chicago, Anderson relocated to Los Angeles?in 2001. Her work has appeared in a variety of magazines?including Los Angeles, People, Glamour, The Robb Report,?and Playboy. Her fine-art work is represented by TORCH?Gallery in Amsterdam and Kopeikin Gallery in Los Angeles.

Simon Doonan is a writer, bon vivant, fashion commentator,?and window-dresser. He writes a column for the New York?Observer entitled, “Simon Says.” He has also written four?books including Confessions of a Window Dresser (Studio,1998), and Ecc entric Glamour (Simon & Schuster, 2008).

Robert Greene has authored many books including, The 48?Laws of Power (Viking, 1998), The Art of Seduction (Penguin,?2001), and The 33 Strategies of War (Penguin, 2006). He is?currently working on a book, The 50th Law coauthored by 50?Cent, to be released later this year by HarperStudio.