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Exposition Patrick Demarchelier "Desire"

By Laure Delvigo

Full of sensuality, Patrick Demarchelier’s photographs enhance the charm and authenticity of women. Princesses, actresses, singers and designers have posed for the master of the black and white photo: he was even Lady Diana’s official portrait artist.

Kate, Gisele, Christy, Claudia and Madonna have all struck a pose for Demarchelier – awarded the prestigious Order of Arts and Literature. We zoom in on A.Galerie,

[/one_third] [two_third] for a Demarchelier exhibition named Desire. Patrick Demarchelier has been passionate about photographer since the age of 17 when his step-father gave him a camera for his birthday. From that moment on he spent all his free time behind the lens. Finally he decided to turn his hobby into a job and left Le Havre for Paris where he studied photography with Hans Feurer and became his assistant. Demarchelier perfected his art through talent and hard work.

From the 1960s onwards his prints was published in magazines such as the legendary Elle. In 1975 he headed to the United States and settled in New York. Success soon followed and Demarchelier’s first clients included the likes of Calvin Klein, Versace and Chanel and his photos appeared in numerous magazines before, at the end of the decade, he signed an exclusive contract with the prestigious Harper’s Bazaar.

In 1989, Diana Princess of Wales appointed Demarchelier her official photographer. Some 10 years later he was behind one of the most famous advertising campaigns ever, celle du parfum Acqua Di Gio de Giorgio Armani, that of Acqua Di Gio de Giorgio Armani, where he captured Diane Kruger on the sand for eternity. By now he had clients queuing up: Elizabeth Arden, Estée Lauder, Gap, Karl Lagerfeld, Chanel, Céline, Louis Vuitton , Moët & Chandon, Tommy Hilfiger, Tag Heuer, BCBG Max Azria, Dior, Calvin Klein, Ralph Lauren – the list goes on and on. In 2002, he shot the pictures for the campaign posters for the James Bond film Die Another Day (with Pierce Brosnan and Halle Berry) aas well as a publicity campaign for Chanel’s Allure perfume, whilst also taking photos for the famous Pirelli calendar in 2005 and 2008. [/two_third] [/row] [row] [one_third] Magazines covers abounded: Time, Vogue, Elle, Glamour, Rolling Stone, i-D, British Sunday Times, Vanity Fair, Esquire, GQ and many more... Fuelled by positive energy, his luminous style is a subtle blend of elegance, spontaneity and authenticity. Like many other great photographers, Demarchelier likes working in a convivial atmosphere, putting his models at ease and at their best. In contrast to the ambient pessimism, like that of the catwalk, the expert in black and white encourages his models to smile and be as natural as possible. Demarchelier renders women beautiful and the joy shines out through their expression. Stars of film, pop and show biz are also drawn to his unusual way and many have been photographed by him including Nicole Kidman, Elizabeth Hurley, Anna Mouglalis, Britney Spears, [/one_third] [two_third] Scarlett Johansson, Demi Moore and Julia Roberts. As for the top models – he has the full set from the 1990s icons such as Christy Turlington, Eva Herzigova, Claudia Schiffer and the feline Naomi Campbell through to the new generation : Gisele Bündchen, Natalia Vodianovaand the one and only Kate Moss. In 2007, Christine Albanel, then Culture Minister, awarded Demarchelier the Order of Arts and Letters. In 2008 came another honour: the doors of the Petit Palais in Paris opened onto a majestic retrospective of 400 exhibits. It was an artistic event that had never before been employed for a photographer - an honour confirming Demarchelier’s impact on the art worldwide. It was to Demarchelier that Dior turned for its Dior Couture project. For him Gisele Bündchen, Natalia Vodianova and Karlie Kloss brought more than 60 years of Dior haute couture right into the present. In this magnificent work, his shots follow in the tradition of Irving Pen, Helmut Newtonand Richard Avedon, all cult photographers. While Patrick Demarchelier remains one of the greatest fashion photographers in the world, he is also full of fun. In 2012 he told Britain’s Daily Telegraph newspaper: "When people ask me which is your favourite portrait... they expect it to be Diana, or someone famous. But the answer is my dog, Puffy. They think I mean Puff Daddy. No, it is the dog." a t-il déclaré au Telegraph en 2012.

The focus at the A. Galerie however is on some of Demarchelier’s best shots of Kate Moss, Gisele Bündchen, Christy Turlington and Elle MacPherson through this most aptly-named exhibition.
Crédit photo : Patrick Demarchelier, A. Galerie.

www.a-galerie.fr [/two_third] [/row]
Patrick Demarchelier exhibition
A.Galerie - 12, rue Léonce Reynaud - 75116 Paris
Tél. + 33 ( 0 ) 6 20 85 85 85 - + 33 (0) 1 47 20 79 88.

“Desire” exhibition from May 13 to July 22 2013
From 11 am – 1.30 pm and from 3 pm - 7pm Monday to Friday and from Midday to 7 pm Saturday.