Tuesday, September 11, 2007

Artist of the Week: Pierre et Gilles

Pierre et Gilles, Pierre Commoy and Gilles Blanchard are gay French artistic and romantic partners. They produce highly stylized photographs, building their own sets and costumes as well as retouching the photographs. Their work often features images from popular culture, gay culture including porn (especially James Bidgood), and religion. Pierre Commoy, the photographer, was born in 1949 in La Roche-sur-Yon. Gilles Blanchard, the painter, was born in 1953 in Le Havre. After art studies, they moved to Paris in 1973 where they met in 1976, and began to work together. People photographed by Pierre et Gilles include: musicians Marie France, Marc Almond, Marilyn Manson, Madonna, Kylie Minogue, Erasure, Nina Hagen; and model Naomi Campbell, actress Catherine Deneuve, actor Layke Anderson and designer Jean-Paul Gaultier. Personally I don't like all of their work, but I find the mix of reality and fantasy interesting. They are very unique and masters in what they do, even if some images lack a bit substance. Here is a selection of images I find beautiful, enhanting, provoking and interesting.
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