The Brothel Series

ARTIST RON ROCCO’S BROTHEL SERIES PROVIDES AN OPPORTUNITY TO EXPLORE THE WORLD HIDDEN BEHIND THE DOORS OF THIS BERLIN-WEDDING ‘HOUSE OF PLEASURE’. THESE PHOTOGRAPHS MADE ON THE OCCASION OF AN ART EXHIBITION AT THE HOUSE, PROVIDE A RARE GLIMPSE INTO THE WORKING WORLD OF THESE WOMEN OF THE NIGHT. FREUDENHAUS HASE, UNLIKE MANY OTHER BROTHELS IS FREE OF ANY MALE MANAGEMENT; THE WOMEN HERE ACT AS THEIR OWN AGENTS. PERHAPS, BECAUSE OF THIS, ONE FINDS HERE AN ENVIRONMENT DESIGNED BY THE WOMEN THEMSELVES, TO PROVIDE A FEELING OF ROMANCE AND INTIMACY. THE ONLY INDICATION OF THE TRANSITORY NATURE OF THIS INTIMACY IS FOUND IN THE BOLD COLOR WITH WHICH MANY OF THE ROOMS, AND THE BUILDING ITSELF, IS PAINTED. FOR THIS REASON, THE PHOTOGRAPHER CHOSE TO EMPLOY AN INFRA-RED FILTERING MODE WHEN PRODUCING MANY OF THESE IMAGES. THIS WAS DONE, ALONG WITH A DECISION TO PRINT THE SERIES ON CANVAS, TO CONVEY THE IDEALIZED NATURE OF THESE ENVIRONMENTS, CREATED BY THE WOMEN FOR THE PURPOSE OF SEXUAL RELATIONS. THE TWO FULL COLOR IMAGES IN THIS SERIES ARE INCLUDED TO PROVIDE THE VIEWER WITH A REFERENCE TO THE ACTUAL CIRCUMSTANCE OF INHABITING THESE ROOMS.