DAVID LACHAPELLE (Hartford, Connecticut, 1963). "Rebirth of Venus", 2009. Inktjet print on dibond. Edition 3/3 + 2 A.P. With labels on the back of David Lachapelle Studio and Maruani Mercier Gallery. Enclosed certificate issued by Maruani Mercier Gallery. Measurements: 153 x 118 cm; 164 x 128,5 x 6,5 cm (frame). With his "Renaissance of Venus", David LaChapelle reinterprets Botticelli's "Birth of Venus" in a modern and ironic key. Several elements remain, but are recombined with humor and wit to slip other readings. The large shell on which the Renaissance Aphrodite floated is dwarfed to be held by the left hand of a lesser goddess ("Nike," the mark of the shoe is imprinted on the foot of the gender-fluid nymph), who takes the shell and covers Venus' pubis. This emulates the attitude of the Venus pudica. To the right of the goddess of love, an exotic Zephyr uses a conch shell to produce the breeze that inaugurates the magical moment of genesis. The group gathers in a landscape exultant with greenery and vibrant colors. LaChapelle has been as captivated by beauty as the great Renaissance painters, and has dedicated his life to redefining those ideals of beauty and desire, which become multiple and polymorphous. LaChapelle's career began in a significant way in 1982, when Andy Warhol prompted him to publish his "Interview" photographs. "Andy Warhol corresponds perfectly to his time," says the photographer, "He is without a doubt a great artist of the 20th century. He was very generous and I learned a lot from him, but we belong to two different generations and have different ideas. The most valuable art today is that which manages to clarify the time in which we live, and that's what I try to do." David LaChapelle's wacky, bizarre and fantastic images have appeared on the pages and covers of Vogue, Rolling Stone, i-D, Vibe, Interview, The Face and GQ magazines, just to name a few. His style is unique and recognizable, he works with open shots, fresh and extremely colorful scenes showing his pop-art style. His shots have a meticulous and detailed work, working with the physical aspect of the character taking it almost to caricature. "I try to take pictures that I've never seen before," LaChapelle says. Talented creative, he plays with fictitious and grotesque scenes, mostly artificial and has an excellent production, the images are generally at the time of shooting, with little post-production. We can also see in his work the criticism of the society in which we live full of excesses and vanity. His unconditional dedication to originality is legendary in the world of fashion, film and advertising. LaChapelle has participated in advertising campaigns for a variety of clients including L'Oreal, Iceberg, MTV, Ecko, Diesel Jeans, Sirius, Ford, Sky Vodka, Cervecería Cuahtemoc Moctezuma and the Got Milk? campaign. David has photographed numerous album covers for artists such as Macy Gray, Moby, No Doubt, Whitney Houston, Elton John, Christina Aguilera, Madonna and Kylie Minogue. His successful first book, LaChapelle Land, was published in 1996 by Collaway Publishing, bringing within its extravagant packaging, an explosive collection of portraits of celebrities and models, including Lady Gaga, Madonna, Shakira, Leonardo DiCaprio, Pamela Anderson, Uma Thurman, Marilyn Manson, Mark Wahlberg, Drew Barrymore and Elton John. The successor to this debut was the book Hotel LaChapelle, also published by Collaway in 1999, which showcases fresh images with unforgettable colors. LaChapelle continues to produce photographs that confront our visual tastes, taking a fresh look at today's landscape.