Sexy Futures

Madonna by Martin Schreiber, 1979Martin Schreiber's "Madonna Nudes 30th Anniversary Exhibition" exhibit is opening at London's Seven Dials gallery, in conjunction with Brighton's "Impure Art" gallery in London, seller of the prints.

Madonna by Martin Schreiber, 1979Madonna was paid $30 to pose for Schreiber's photography class at New York's Parsons School of Design in 1979.

Just six years later, after Madonna had made herself into a global entertainment icon, Schreiber realized that he had something of value. Trying first with Penthouse, Schreiber eventually sold the photos to Playboy, who printed them with Lee Friedlander's full frontal Madonna nudes in 1985.

Apparently, Playboy Magazine hasn't archived this photoshoot, which is bad business, given its need for revenue and web traffic.

Lee Friedlander's Nude Madonna, 1979To reinforce my argument that standards are changing in our New Eroticism world, Huffington Post printed this photo on Jan. 16, 2009, as Christie's prepared to auction the photo, for which Madonna was paid $25.

Talking about Madonna's photos recently, Schreiber told the Guardian, “I was into the body as a sculptural form in those days. I'd bend or twist models to see what I could create. It was experimental.”

Today Schreiber's working on a book of nudes over 50. I doubt that Madonna will be included, unless a major percentage of the profits go to support her orphanage in Malawi.

It's generally agreed that the Schreiber photos are some of the last ones of Madonna, where she wasn't controlling her own image.

Not only has Madonna learned to use her sexuality to her own advantage -- being the Smart Sensuality woman that she is. I sense that the Material Girl also inspired other women interested in modeling or entertainment careers to have better contracts governing the rights to distributing and monetizing their photos. Anne