Pierre et Gilles

Pierre et Gilles, the artistic duo consisting of Pierre Commoy and Gilles Blanchard, defined the aesthetic of the 1980s and 1990s with their hyper-stylized, painterly approach to photography. This 1991 publication by Yobisha captures the essence of their collaborative process, which involves elaborate, handcrafted sets, meticulous staging, and subsequent hand-painting of photographic prints. The book serves as a retrospective of their work during a period when their fusion of kitsch, religious iconography, and pop culture portraiture began to exert a significant influence on contemporary fashion and art photography.

The design of this collection highlights the duo's signature theatricality and their penchant for creating surreal, idealized dreamscapes. By blending the precision of photography with the romanticism of classical painting, the pair sought to blur the lines between high art and popular media. Upon its release, the volume was noted for its departure from traditional photography books, as it showcased the collaborative intimacy Pierre and Gilles maintained with their subjects, often featuring both renowned celebrities and fringe figures from the Parisian nightlife scene.