David Lachapelle Analysis
David LaChapelle was born in in Fairfield, Connecticut in 1963. He is an admired commercial, fashion, and fine art photographer known for his hyper- realistic photographs with clever social messages about popular culture, religion, and history. LaChapelle’s photography career started in the eighties when he began showing his artwork in galleries around New York. Andy Warhol presented David LaChapelle his first commercial photography show. LaChapelle has accumulated a huge body of commercial and fine art photography, constructing superficial, vibrant color images that take signs from all regions of culture and art history, incorporating Pop and Surrealism alongside religious iconography and consumerist ideals. LaChapelle uses saturation
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To left of the photo a Holy Bible is hidden slightly behind the draped hand of Cobain. Next to the Bible is a glass of red wine, next to a plate of a fish on the floor; all contribute to LaChapelle’s religious theme. Love is also wearing a blue dress, the Virgin Mary in numerous Renaissance paintings often wears this color of blue. Beer cans with the image of Christ sit on a table in the back with wine bottles, beside which is a light stand, which says “Faith”. Electrical lights in the image have no shades and add rawness to the whole scene. An hidden light placed behind Love’s head diffuses light so it gives her almost a halo effect. Colors used by LaChapelle are vivid reds, oranges and yellow colors. The most vivid blue used draws the viewer’s eye to Love at the center of the photograph. In this photo LaChapelle demonstrates his use of hyperrealism. This photograph illustrates the parallels between faith and religion, and the adoration of pop culture icons. LaChapelle pays close attention to the smallest of details, which can express the biggest of messages. To say the least, the picture seems to suggest that even ironic religion is a way of holding significant cultural figures. Possibly, because we not only want to know why artists suffer, but why we care about that
To left of the photo a Holy Bible is hidden slightly behind the draped hand of Cobain. Next to the Bible is a glass of red wine, next to a plate of a fish on the floor; all contribute to LaChapelle’s religious theme. Love is also wearing a blue dress, the Virgin Mary in numerous Renaissance paintings often wears this color of blue. Beer cans with the image of Christ sit on a table in the back with wine bottles, beside which is a light stand, which says “Faith”. Electrical lights in the image have no shades and add rawness to the whole scene. An hidden light placed behind Love’s head diffuses light so it gives her almost a halo effect. Colors used by LaChapelle are vivid reds, oranges and yellow colors. The most vivid blue used draws the viewer’s eye to Love at the center of the photograph. In this photo LaChapelle demonstrates his use of hyperrealism. This photograph illustrates the parallels between faith and religion, and the adoration of pop culture icons. LaChapelle pays close attention to the smallest of details, which can express the biggest of messages. To say the least, the picture seems to suggest that even ironic religion is a way of holding significant cultural figures. Possibly, because we not only want to know why artists suffer, but why we care about that