The world of ‘lookalikes’ is fast becoming an extremely profitable venture, especially as we live in a celebrity obsessed culture where thousands follow the every move and motive of the (often semi) famous. Marie Claire recently ran an article regarding Kate and Pippa Middleton lookalikes, where they delved into the ‘cut throat’ industry of being the very best (and most realistic) royal or celebrity lookalike. The article inspired me to research lookalikes and what their day to day life is like, as it must be strange impersonating someone else for a living, right down to their hair cut, weight and clothing style. When doing the research, I came across Alison Jackson, who makes a living not out of being a lookalike, but photographing lookalikes and creating satirical ‘paparazzi’ shots. The result, is quite simply hilarious.
I love how Alison Jackson’s sense of humour really comes across in her work, as her images are not only well thought out – but hilarious! The Pippa Middleton lookalike she quite often works with is pretty much identical to the real Pippa, as is the Angelina Jolie double!
Alison Jackson originally began her career as an abstract painter, before moving onto photography. She first made headlines when she shot an image of Princess Diana and Dodi Al-Fayed with a mixed race love child, which inevitably sparked controversy. Since then, she has continued to shock and surprise with her photos of lookalikes in surprising or shocking situations or as she describes it ‘depicting our suspicions’.
