Artists - Part 87

Pierre et Gilles

Pierre Commoy, born in 1950, and Gilles Blanchard, born in 1953, are a French couple who produce artworks combining photography and painting.  They met in 1976, fell in love, and have lived and worked together ever since.  Much of their work features nude males.

Pierre is a photographer.  He photographs the models.  The photo is then printed on cloth, and Gilles, the artist, adds to the piece, painting by hand.  The result is a combination of photo and art.  No Photoshop or digital manipulation is involved.

Above, Midnight Cowboy, 1995.

Presque Rien (Almost Nothing), 2000.

Many of their works feature mythological characters.  Above, Ganymede, 2001, is mesmerized by an eagle representing Zeus.  In Greek mythology, Ganymede was a handsome mortal who became the cup-bearer and gay lover of Zeus, the king of the gods.  Zeus was bi.

Mercury, 2001, the Roman god of messages and communication.

Apollo, 2005, considered to be the most beautiful of the male Greek gods.

David and Jonathan, 2005, illustrates the Biblical lovers.

Vive la France, 2006, features models Serge, Moussa and Roberto as football (soccer) players.  The black, Arabic and white players represent France's multi-ethnic population, and the French national colors blue, white and red are everywhere.  This work caused public controversy because of its frontal nudity when it was displayed on large street posters in Vienna for an art exhibition.

Matador, 2011.

Narcissus, 2012.  In Greek mythology, he was so beautiful that he fell in love with his own reflection in a pool of water. 

Pierre and Gilles are still active.  We end with Petit Matin (Early Morning), painted in 2024.