Guy Bourdin: Untouched

Description

Guy Bourdin was a groundbreaking image-maker and undoubtedly one of the most influential fashion photographers of the twentieth century. Intriguing and revolutionary, his work has achieved a cult-like following; the striking use of color, suggestive narratives, and surrealist aesthetics establishing a visual language all his own. Though best known for his color images, Bourdin launched his career in black and white in the early 1950s. Untouched explores this largely unseen work and gives insight into the early development of his photographic eye. The carefully constructed images, initially conceived as an exhibition series, reveal his artistic motivation years before he began working on assignments for French Vogue and Photo Femina. In both concept and composition, these photographs display his fascination with striking graphic layouts and narrative cinematic portraiture. Capturing people he encountered on the streets of Paris, Bourdin trained his eye to transcend the reality of the medium, developing a unique perspective through unconventional manipulations of the picture plane. Untouched is the first volume in a series of eight forthcoming books that explore the photographer's complete works.

Guy Bourdin was born in Paris in 1928. His career as a fashion photographer spans over three decades, shooting largely for French Vogue as well as Harper's Bazaar, Chanel, Issey Miyake, Versace, Charles Jourdan and Emanuel Ungaro. Today, Bourdin's work is held in the most prestigious museums including the Victoria and Albert Museum, Jeu de Paume, the Guggenheim and the National Museum of China. Bourdin died in 1991.

... a superbly designed book of recently rediscovered black-and-white pictures made between 1949 and 1955, is the first to delve into Bourdin's formative years, and it's fascinating.--Vince Aletti "Photograph Magazine" ...a superbly designed book of recently rediscovered black-and-white pictures made between 1949 and 1955, is the first to delve into Bourdin's formative years, and it's fascinating.--Vince Aletti "PDN" The uncompromising fashion photography of latter-day interiors like Juergen Teller and Terry Richardson owes a debt to this approach - which may be why Bourdin's work feels startingly contemporary. It hasn't aged. If anything, it's better than much of what followed it.--Matthew Schneier "The New York Times, Styles Section"