PIERRE ET GILLES

La Madone-au-Coeur-bless 1991 “It’s hard to think of contemporary culture without the influence of Pierre et Gilles, from advertising to fashion photography, music video, and film. This is truly global art.” Jeff Koons.

Saint Sebastian 1987 “Pierre Commoy, the photographer, was born in 1950 in La Roche-sur-Yon.[1] Gilles Blanchard, the painter, was born in 1953 in Le Havre.[1] In the early 1970s, Blanchard took a degree at the École des Beaux-Arts in Le Havre, while Commoy studied photography in Geneva.” WIKI

Saint Sebastian of the Sea 1994 “In 1974, Blanchard moved to Paris to paint and make illustrations for magazines and advertisements. Commoy started working as a photographer for the magazines Rock & Folk,Dépèche Mode and Interview.” WIKI

The Martyrdom of Saint Sebastian, 1996 “In autumn 1976, Commoy and Blanchard met at the inauguration of a Kenzo boutique in Paris, and they started living together in an apartment in Rue des Blancs-Manteaux that they also use as a studio. The next year they started working together; Blanchard painted the images, Commoy took the photos. Their public breakthrough came with their images for the magazine Façade, with portraits of Andy Warhol, Mick Jagger and Iggy Pop.” WIKI

Legend-Madonna-1990 The cosmos of the worldwide renowned French artist duo is a vivid, colourful world poised between baroque sumptuousness and earthly limbo. Pierre et Gilles create unique hand-painted photographic portraits of film icons, sailors and princes, saints and sinners, of mythological figures and unknowns alike. Pierre et Gilles pursue their own, stunningly unique vision of an enchanted world spanning fairytale paradises and abyssal depths, quoting from popular visual languages and history of art. Again and again, they re-envision their personal dream of reality anew in consummate aesthetic perfection.

Le Grand Amour-Marilyn Manson and Dita Von Teese Pierre et Gilles are among the most influential artists of our time. In their complex, multilayered images, they quote from art history, transgress traditional moral codes, and experiment adeptly with social clichés.

Saint Rose de Lima 1989 Their painterly photographic masterpieces exert an intense visual power that leaves the viewer spellbound.

Mercure 2001 Over the last thirty years, Pierre et Gilles have created photographic portraits of numerous celebrities including Marc Almond, Mirelle Mathieu, Catherine Deneuve, Serge Gainsbourg, Iggy Pop, Jean-Paul Gaultier, Nina Hagen, Madonna, and Paloma Picasso.

Neptune 1988 They work almost exclusively in an opulently furnished studio, where their subjects are costumed lavishly and placed before three-dimensional backgrounds. Pierre photographs the model, and Gilles retouches and hand-colours the print. The reproducible portrait is rendered unique through painting, which highlights each detail with carefully selected materials and accessories. I have not been able to find any sources concerning how the two have influenced other artists, but it seems to me that Jean-Paul Gaultier, has borrowed ideas from them for his sensual perfume advertising campaigns. This post was suggested by my friend Stephen and put together using sources from the Web.