In 1977, Madonna Ciccone was a 19-year-old student at the University of Michigan. She lived in Ann Arbor and focused her time on studying dance. To support herself and pay her bills, she worked as a model for art students and professional photographers. One of her primary collaborators during this time was a photographer named Herman Kulkens. Kulkens operated a studio where he captured images of Madonna for various art projects.
Madonna earned 10 dollars for every hour she spent modeling for Kulkens. During these sessions, she was not yet the blonde pop star known to the world today. She had dark brunette hair and a very young appearance. The photoshoots involved a wide range of styles and props. In some images, Madonna wore specific costumes to create a certain character. She posed in various hats, including vintage styles and wide-brimmed designs. Other photos featured her wearing masculine clothing, such as a man’s dress shirt and a necktie.
The sessions included both clothed and nude photography. Madonna posed nude for Kulkens in the same way she modeled for art classes at the university. She treated the work as a professional job to fund her education and dance training. These photographs remained private for several years while Madonna worked to start her music career in New York City.
In the mid-1980s, Madonna achieved massive global fame. At this point, the images from 1977 became highly valuable to the media. Both Playboy and Penthouse magazines purchased and published some of these photos in 1985. These publications showed the world what the singer looked like before she became a household name. However, a large number of the photos from the Kulkens sessions were never released to the public.
