An exhibition of three-metre tall black and white naked images of osteoporosis patients photographed by controversial Italian photographer Oliviero Toscani opened in Copenhagen, Denmark yesterday.
The international touring exhibition, mounted by the International Osteoporosis Foundation (IOF), aims to alert people to the effects of this disease. The potentially crippling bone disease is believed to affect up to one in three Irish women. It also affects older men and can seriously undermine quality of life for those who as younger people had eating disorders.
Irishwoman Imelda Farmer is one of the 23 people with osteoporosis who was photographed in Berlin for the exhibition. "In the beginning, I was embarrassed but I think the photographs will make an impact and highlight the condition," said Ms Farmer.
Speaking at the opening, Toscani, famous for his controversial images used in Benetton advertising campaigns, said: "Osteoporosis explains where we are at in our modern times and I hope we will look back at these pictures as a witness to something that happened to humanity because we then did something to fight against it."
Osteoporosis - a photographic vision is in Copenhagen until April 10th. Although there are no plans for the show, which is supported by pharmaceutical company Merck Sharp & Dohme, to come to Dublin, IOF chief executive Daniel Navid hopes it will.
