Growing up in Paris, Guy Bourdin was inspired by the Arts, experimenting with painting and drawing, then taking his first photographs in the late 1940’s. Gravitating around the Parisian art scene, in 1951 he met the surrealist Man Ray. Surrealism was to be an important influence throughout his life.
From his early editorial fashion commissions, Guy immediately revealed his very own distinct style. His photographs went beyond fashion. Equally fascinated by the films of Alfred Hitchcock, Guy Bourdin would meticulously construct scenes evoking a mysterious plot or creating a subliminal tension engaging the curiosity of the spectator. He was never predictable, playing with the absurd and the sublime. His skillful use of plot and perspective, colour and contrast, take Guy Bourdin’s photographs well beyond the simple page of a magazine.
From his own archives, this exhibition includes several iconic images as well as some less familiar images. We have also the privilege to include early original works by Guy Bourdin that have never been exhibited before. Discovered in the archives, these black and white vintage photographs show Guy’s early experimentation and the evolution of his distinct style.Even after his early death in 1991, his photographs continue to be an enigma.
