DeutschlandRadio Berlin 27.01.2005

"Stets gern für Sie beschäftigt" ("Always glad to be of service…"), Ausstellung im Berliner Institut für Auslandsbezeihungen (Exhibition in the Berlin Institute for Foreign Relations)

"…Alongside the firm Topf and Sons from Erfurt, "Hugo Boss is central to the exhibition. Tanya Ury from England concerns herself with the relationship between fashion and politics.

'We all know the fashion company. But not everyone knows that Hugo Ferdinand Boss, long before the war period made a contract with the Nazi party: if he were to become a member, he would receive an order. Hitler Youth, SA (Stormtroopers) and SS uniforms were to be made in Metzingen by forced labourers. Because not so many people know of this story, I make use of advertisements and refashion them so that it is impossible to look away and that the history is also made obvious.' (Ury)

For her series "Who's Boss" Tanya Ury has, for instance, had herself photographed in an original German Reich air force coat and presented them in contrast with fashion photography from 1998 that shows a very similar cut…"

Extract from a programme by Julia Kaiser (English translation Tanya Ury)