Pierre & Gilles: The Complete Works, 1976 1996 / L'oeuvre Complet / Samtliche Werke

by Dan Cameron, Bernard Marcadé

Parallel text in English, French and German.

An unbridled celebration of a life beyond guilt and expiation
As sweet as raspberry ripple, as tempting as popcorn. Welcome to the seductive pictures of Pierre et Gilles. Again and again they show people in kitschy scenarios against a background of flowers and hearts. When they are not snapping portraits of the well-known - most of whom are close friends like Marc Almond or Nina Hagen - and not-so-known, they photograph themselves.

Bizarre, and full of obscure significance, the photographs are reminiscent of stills from film melodramas.They are always colourful and presented with beguiling polish. They plunder the repertoire of historical presentation as though they were leafing through a collection of fabrics, and assume identities as though they were part of a mail-order catalogue.

Now the latest and most comprehensive collection of the works of these two photographers can be presented to the public - in a format designed by the artists themselves. In matt skin-colour, with a golden edging, the embossed cover is reminiscent of a quilted counterpane and promises a cuddly experience within. Once between the covers one can frolic at will in a soft, artificial world of pictures. This saccharine collection of kitsch encompasses all aspects of homosexuality and offers them in an appetising form even to those who abhor them. A straight challenge is issued to all readers to participate - at least with their eyes - in this unbridled celebration of a life beyond guilt and expiation.

Genres: Art, Photography

354 pages, Hardcover

First published April 1, 1997

Reviews

[W.B.]

I want this book but I can't bring myself to drop fifty simoleons for it, when I can ogle all the dirty pretty pictures at Borders. I think they do the best studio shots on the planet...every picture as glitzed up and colorful as a Hindu shrine and as hyperdramatic as Joan Crawford with a wire hanger or a Pepsi executive in her hand. Oh, also there are lots of ithyphallic photos. They are shrilly beautifully and beautifully shrill. Most good or great photographers tend to be ugly, but this duo is very handsome and their own photos are pretty darn nice. But I still can't drop fifty bucks for this, and you can't beat the price on ABE or half.com or anywhere. Eventually some gnarly old queen will die and will it to me or I will attend an auction of a gnarly old queen's things. Then I will spend thirty years perusing it until I am a gnarly old queen and then I will will it to Pip or something. Signed, Evil Miss Havisham.

[Maria Lago]

Todo lo que esperas de Pierre & Gilles y más. El libro de cabecera para todos los fans de este artístico duo (dicho sin ironía). En serio, si cuesta 30 pavos es que los vale.

[Queer]

Important collection of the artistic duo’s work.

[Kassie]

fantastic artist duo. if you love love love homoeroticism, myth, pop, dark humor, and glam rock, they're the men for you!

[Panikoval500]

Των Αγίων Πάντων.

[Haruna]

I love taschen publisher.

[Jehan]

Not all of it is my kind of art,
but I enjoyed all the glitter
nonetheless.