Biography
PIERRE ET GILLES
Pierre was born in La Roche-sur-Yon in 1950 and Gilles in Havre in 1953. In the early seventies Gilles gained a diploma at the School of Fine Arts, while Pierre studied photography in Geneva. In 1974 Gilles moved to Paris and dedicated himself to painting and collages, he collected photo IDs and created illustrations for magazines and advertising campaigns. From 1973 Pierre began working in Paris as a photographer for the magazines "Rock & Folk", "Dépêche Mode" and "Interview".
In Autumn 1976 Pierre and Gilles met at the inauguration of the Kenzo boutique and began living together. Their artistic collaboration started in 1977. Pierre took photographs, while Gilles painted. Each one adapted the work of the other. The images created in these years for "Façade" made them known to a wider public. They photographed Andy Warhol, Salvador Dali, Mick Jagger, Yves Saint Laurent and Iggy Pop. Their atelier reflects their universe, where objects accumulated are a permanent source of inspiration.
At the end of the eighties they began to travel in Asia. In 1993 they received the Grand Prix for photography in Paris. Their first retrospective took place in 1996 at the Maison Européenne de la Photographie in Paris, where they created different sceneries according to chosen themes. The exhibition met with great public success. In 2000 they took part in two important exhibitions: Appearance in Bologna and La Beauté in Avignon. A large-scale retrospective celebrating their 30 years of life together and artistic collaboration was held last Autumn at Jeu de Paume, Paris.
In Autumn 1976 Pierre and Gilles met at the inauguration of the Kenzo boutique and began living together. Their artistic collaboration started in 1977. Pierre took photographs, while Gilles painted. Each one adapted the work of the other. The images created in these years for "Façade" made them known to a wider public. They photographed Andy Warhol, Salvador Dali, Mick Jagger, Yves Saint Laurent and Iggy Pop. Their atelier reflects their universe, where objects accumulated are a permanent source of inspiration.
At the end of the eighties they began to travel in Asia. In 1993 they received the Grand Prix for photography in Paris. Their first retrospective took place in 1996 at the Maison Européenne de la Photographie in Paris, where they created different sceneries according to chosen themes. The exhibition met with great public success. In 2000 they took part in two important exhibitions: Appearance in Bologna and La Beauté in Avignon. A large-scale retrospective celebrating their 30 years of life together and artistic collaboration was held last Autumn at Jeu de Paume, Paris.
