Benjamin Alexander Huseby’s latest exhibition is all about performers—he’s shot a fair few working as an artist and editorial photographer. Though he maintains he has “never been that interested in celebrities,” he concedes that Björk was one of his favorite subjects, as well as his friend, the London scenester and drag act Jeanette. But who would be his dream sitters? The photographer gave his wish list to NOWNESS.


Liv Ullmann (Norwegian actress, Ingmar Bergman muse)

Ullman has always seemingly been fighting any notion that she could be an icon, but, at the same time, [during my childhood] in Norway she was really the only Norwegian who radiated any form of glamour, no matter how earthy she tried to be. Even her way of speaking Norwegian seemed exotic and otherworldly to me as a child.

Yvonne Rainer (60s avant-garde dancer and performance artist)

Watching her move gives me a similar feeling to hearing Patti Smith talk. It’s so free and casual, but at the same time so perfect. A grunt, an arched arm and a turn, totally unposed. I recommend watching Rainer perform in this video. 

Nico (singer, Velvet Underground collaborator)
 
I think Baudrillard said it best: “Her femininity appeared so completely put on. She emanated something more than beauty, something more sublime, a different seduction. And there was deception: she was a false drag queen, a real woman, in fact, playing the queen. Seduction is always more singular and sublime than sex, and it commands the higher price.” [ from “The Ecliptic of Sex,” from Baudrillard’s 1979 book Seduction]

Rudolf Steiner (19th-century Austrian philosopher, architect, artist and theosophist)

One of the works in the [Don't Projects] show (Advanced Veil Painting) is named after a painting technique that Steiner developed, founded in Goethe's color theory. By only using primary colors and very thin layers [of paint] you can get any color. Steiner also developed the esoteric movement system called Eurythmy, which I've used in different parts of my work.
 
Candy Darling (transgender actor, Warhol’s “Superstar”)

She would have been just perfect.