METAMORPHOSIS
Photographs

Auction: Thursday, November 6, 2014, 5pm
Viewing: November 3 - 6, 2014

Fannie Bourgeois
Specialist
+33 1 53 34 10 07
f.bourgeois@piasa.fr

Agnès de Gouvion Saint-Cyr
Artistic director

Online Catalogue: Catalogue-Photographies_Metamorphosis.pdf

PIASA’s photography sale explores the theme of Metamorphosis via a hundred selected works by leading creative photographers « Following in the steps of Arthur Rimbaud and his confession that ‘I is another’ – meaning that, over and beyond the apparent Self, there exists an unconscious Self that is the source of poetic creativity – numerous artists have sought to help this other personality emerge by giving themselves over to the desires and pleasures of metamorphosis.

Whether altering personal appearance – and thus personality – by using mask and tattoos (Pascal Maître), showcasing a different sexual identity (Pierre Molinier), correcting perceived bodily imperfections (Jean-Paul Goude) or striving to portray perfect beauty (Dora Maar) or disturbing strangeness (Diane Arbus): all these approaches reflect photographers’ image of Self.

Sometimes this metamorphosis depends on the introduction of extraneous objects, like small robots (Tom Drahos) or hybrid creatures (Sarah Choo). Animals may also, like William Wegman’s dogs, be dressed up or imitate humans. The result is a startling world beyond the realms of parody. » (Agnès de Gouvion Saint-Cyr)