Gunter Rambow's Doris, created in West Germany during 1968–1969 and published in 1970, explores the explicit depiction of female nudity with a concentrated focus on the vulva. At the time, Rambow was already an established visual communicator, having co-founded a design studio and developed a distinctive photographic poster style. Doris emerged against the backdrop of significant social upheaval in late 1960s West Germany, characterized by the sexual revolution, feminist movements, and heated debates about sexuality, censorship, and the representation of the female body.
Central to the project is a systematic exploration of the female anatomy, transitioning from contextual nude photographs to magnified close-ups. This progressive zoom effectively transforms familiar anatomical imagery into abstract textures and forms, thereby shifting the viewer's perception from recognizable anatomy to almost abstract patterns. Through this visual abstraction, Doris critically interrogates societal conventions around sexual imagery and representation, simultaneously confronting and complicating issues of objectification and the commodification of women's bodies.
Visually, Doris employs black-and-white photography, enhancing a clinical and analytical presentation. The project's rigorous compositional approach is reinforced by naturalistic lighting and stark tonal contrasts, intensifying a sense of detached, almost medical scrutiny. This aesthetic choice situates the work between art and pornography, raising questions about visual perception and viewer complicity. Technically, Rambow utilized 35mm film and macro photography techniques, capturing images mere centimeters away from the subject. This approach, uncommon at the time for intimate human anatomy, accentuated the experimental nature of the project.
Published by März Verlag in 1970—briefly under the deliberately provocative title Das große Mösenbuch (literally "The Big Pussy Book") before censors forced a change—Doris has since appeared mainly in thematic shows rather than solo museum exhibitions, including POP am Rhein (Cologne, 2006) and the Neuer Berliner Kunstverein’s anniversary exhibition on März Verlag (Berlin, 2009/10).
