Pierre et Gilles Retrospective

Working together since 1976, the French artists Pierre and Gilles has created many outstanding art pieces that bring them international recognition. Their finely painted photographs which amalgamate photography and painting have successfully charmed many people with their ironic, humorous images that merge experimental art with popular kitsch. In their photo-paintings, the dramatic backdrop and iconic characters are carefully constructed to create images that dazzle with a glamour that is delightful as well as disturbing.

Specially curated for MOCA Shanghai, this large scale retrospective consists of 120 major works created by the two artists since 1976. Jointly organized by MOCA Shanghai and Galerie Jerome de NOIRMONT of Paris, the exhibition is one of the programs.

Pierre and Gilles were both born in France in the early 1950s. Pierre studied photography in Geneva while Gilles graduated from the Ecole des Beaux-Arts in Le Havre. After graduation, Gilles was involved with paintings, producing collages, and was illustrating for magazines and advertisements. Meanwhile, after serving the army in1973, Pierre began working as a photographer for magazines such as Rock & Folk and Interview. They met in Paris in 1976, after which they started their artistic collaboration. Pierre shot photographs and Gilles painted, each one working on the other's works. During this period, they photographed celebrities such as Andy Warhol, Mick Jagger and Yves Saint Laurent. In 1984, they had their personal exhibition at the ARC-Musee d'Art Moderne in Paris. Since 1990, their works have been shown internationally, and in 1993 they received the Grand Prix de Photographie of Paris. In 2000, their artistic achievement brought them many major exhibitions, including a retrospective at the New Museum in New York. In 2004, Pierre et Gilles presented their first major retrospective in Asia at the Seoul Museum of Art and then the exhibition was toured to the Singapore Art Museum. The exhibition at MOCA Shanghai is their first retrospective held in China.

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Pierre et Gilles Retrospective
Orfganisation: MOCA Shanghai; Galerie Jerome de Noirmont, Paris