pierre et gilles

i was in the bookstore yesterday and i saw a book by and about the romantic/ artistic french couple; pierre and gilles. i wasn't familiar with their work, but they've done loads of celebrity portraits, including dita von teese, and porn star portraits as well. they remind me of jean paul gaultier + glitter + david la chapelle. but maybe that is a really ignorant comparison... their pictures have a very theatrical feel to them; they make most of their sets and costumes, and most feature homosexual/ religious/ pop culture/ sailor themes. the other really interesting thing about their work is that they retouch a lot of their photos to give them the feel of a black and white photo that has been painted (my great aunt had a job doing this) or a posterized, pop art type look, which i think adds to fantastical nature of each piece.

the pictures of their home in the book remind me of pee wee's play house.