The gods and goddesses of David LaChapelle

American photographer and director widely known for his vibrant, surreal, and provocative work, he has worked for major brands and publications. With a career spanning over three decades, LaChapelle has created iconic images of celebrities, easily recognized for his unique visual language.

THE BEGINNING

Born in Fairfield, Connecticut in 1963, David was drawn to art from a young age, and at 15, he moved to Manhattan with the aim of pursuing his love for photography. He started as an artist in the East Village, where he became involved in the nightlife and gained experience at Andy Warhol's iconic Interview Magazine. At the time, the HIV/AIDS epidemic was a reality: driven by existential uncertainty, his early work depicted his sick friends wearing angel wings and bathed in sacred light.

“I didn't think I would be here this long, so I wanted a purpose for being alive. It wasn't about money or leaving a legacy. It was about making beautiful images to leave for the world, and those were those angel photos. So, I used all the money I had in the bank and made those wing designs. I wanted to photograph the spirit of angels. I got very close to God. I have been close to God since I was a kid. But that was when I was facing death. I thought I was going to die. Why wouldn't I die?” - David on the HIV/AIDS epidemic in the 80s.

He always knew he wanted to be an artist. From a young age, his mother, an amateur photographer, posed him in unlikely situations. After dropping out of high school and moving to New York, his first job was as a waiter at Studio 54 - where he met Warhol, who was his mentor until the day he died. Very young and living alone in a huge city, his father came to get him, and after a year at the North Carolina School of Art (where he fell in love with photography), he returned to the city at 18 and began working at Andy's magazine.

“I saw that there was a shift. Over the years, it became understood that Picasso had the first half of the 20th century and Andy Warhol had the second half of the 20th century.” - David LaChapelle on Warhol

His first job was photographing The Beastie Boys in Times Square. At that time, nightlife in clubs and art went hand in hand and, before long, he was photographing for leading magazines and producing some of the most iconic advertising campaigns of his generation. After commercial photography, he ventured into stage production, documentaries, and directing music videos for artists such as Jennifer Lopez, No Doubt, Christina Aguilera, and Moby.

The Beastie Boys Andy Warhol, 1986

HIS MOTIVATIONS

The artist, who now lives in Hawaii (since 2006 - he found the closest thing to an earthly Eden on the island of Maui), has always represented themes such as redemption and hope, with Renaissance touches. The environment in which he grew up, developed, and landed his first job was marked by drug dependencies, excessive lifestyles, and consequently, the loss of many dear friends, including his first boyfriend, aged 24.

"What is the soul? Does paradise exist? "I feel a responsibility to create images that can uplift and serve humanity” - David on transforming the human being into a deity

Michael Jackson, 1990

Uma Thurman

André 3000

LaChapelle clung to his faith: he believes he is a vehicle for a higher power. His inspiration comes from within - his prayers. At first, it was surprising to hear someone with a long and successful career insist on his own humility. Ultimately, that's just his way of being, artistically and personally.

"I have some photos I had very little to do with. I just woke up in the middle of the night with an image in my head after praying for inspiration […] It comes from God. I have no pride. I am blessed. It's a gift. It's something to be grateful for and to have faith in God. No one can tell me otherwise. I can only speak for myself. I know where my inspiration comes from, and it’s not me.” - on his greater inspiration

THE EASILY RECOGNIZABLE LANGUAGE

His portraits can be seen as a surreal celebration of contemporary culture and a wicked satire reminding the audience of their gravest sins. David's style is hyper-saturated, theatrical, and brings art history to the forefront. Michelangelo, Botticelli, Géricault are some of his inspirations - and above all, the reimagining of a Christ in modern times.

"Jesus is my Homeboy: Last Supper", i-D, 2003

"Jesus is my Homeboy: Last Supper", i-D, 2003

"Jesus is my Homeboy: Last Supper", i-D, 2003

The darker sides of pop culture and politics have frequently been addressed by him, building decadent settings, with baroque and delirious backgrounds, each with its unique narrative and evocative content. Extremely recognizable faces embody his characters and at the same time convey the artist's viewpoint with stereotypes associated with their image. Courtney Love has been the Virgin Mary, Lady Gaga wore headlines, Elizabeth Taylor became a 5-dollar fortune teller, Lil Kim sported Louis Vuitton monograms all over her body, etc.

Elizabeth Taylor, 2002

Lady Gaga, 2009

Lil Kim, 1999

The provocative form, often fully or partially nude, in which celebrities were represented liberates the representation of the female body from pornographic connotations, associating nudity with sin, abuse, and humiliation. He hopes that the images convey the message that “we are more than our bodies; there is more to us than the physical.” At the end of the day, he feels people gain enlightenment through art: teaching them about themselves, the era they live in, and their culture.

Tupac

Kanye West and Lady Gaga

Travis Scott

Michael Jackson

HIS LEGACY

After working for a long time to reach the point where he had the confidence to take photos just for himself, David now takes photos to reach more people. All these years working commercially have now culminated in his freedom - to create an image without having to sell anything other than his idea.

The mark he has left on the world of photography is unparalleled. His work continues to inspire countless photographers and creatives in general. From his humble beginnings to reaching the pinnacle of his career, LaChapelle has consistently pushed the boundaries of fashion photography, creating images that challenge conventions and still captivate viewers.