Sebastian Mader | Trunk Archive

Suntanned bodies, stylish old-fashioned bathing suits, provocative poses – Sebastian Mader’s Flamingo Kids bring back the spirit of the swinging sixties. Almost like hidden object games, different stories play out all throughout his photos – they could not be more loaded with anecdotes. From the amusing actions of sunbathers seeking the perfect tan to the exciting game of draughts played out over oranges, we cannot get enough of this curious beach entourage’s antics. Mader deliberately teases the voyeur inside us, presenting the scene from above and, in doing so, allowing us to become a part of the work.

Some of the angled poses appear to be a nod to Miles Alridge, while others bring to mind the kitsch pop-surrealism of David LaChapelle. Sebastian Mader’s influences are, in fact, manifold. He even worked as an assistant to Steven Klein – the American enfant terrible of fashion photography – for years before developing his own distinctive style.