DAVID LACHAPELLE (Hartford, Connecticut, 1963). "Seismic Shift," 2012. Chromogenic print on dibond, copy 4/5. Enclosed certificate signed by David Lachapelle Studio. Measurements: 90 x 220 cm; 100 x 230 x 6 cm (frame). "Seismic Shift" is a corrosive look at the current state of the art world and the art market, referencing themes such as transience, decadence and consumerism. The photograph depicts a partially destroyed contemporary art museum housing badly damaged iconic works by artists such as Jeff Koons, Andy Warhol, Damien Hirst and Takashi Murakami. These artists represent the exorbitant prices of today's art market, corresponding to the global demand among billionaire buyers for whom art is a brand. "Seismic Shift" raises critical questions about the limited lifespan of a work of art. It is considered one of LaChapelle's most outstanding works. LaChapelle's career began significantly in the year 1982, when Andy Warhol prompted him to publish his "Interview" photographs. "Andy Warhol corresponds perfectly to his time," says the photographer, "He is certainly 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 achieve photographs that confront our visual tastes, taking a fresh look at today's landscape.