Where does your photography come from ?
Nick & Chloe : Inspired by our own memories and sometimes bits of stories that appear in dreams. We also use literary reference and and characters from Theatre
When is your decisive moment for taking photographs ?
N&C : When something out of the ordinary happens, when the tension breaks
What inspired your work / your series ?
N&C : On the Mr Vertigo series… We responded to some ideas from the fashion editor who was going through a bit of a Diane Arbus phase! Chloe has been very influenced by the Paul Auster novel by the same title where a young orphan under the influence of the master Yeheudi is taught to fly.
What is the link between your commercial work and your personal work ?
N&C : We always try as much as possible to bring the values of our personal work to the commercial work. There is also a satisfaction with commercial work in the sense that you are bringing all your technical, professional and creative skills to answer a brief which is challenging
Your priority : a great ad campaign or an exhibition in a famous gallery ?
N&C : Our concern is not really so much the form in which the images are used but the integrity of the images. We are very happy to be considered as photographers first and foremost… The line between art and photography seems to be always moving and therefore should not take up to much concern.
What are the actual photographic trends for you ?
N&C : I think there is a move away from happy snappy photography to something more considered with ambition and soul within the image.
Something to add ? The answer to a question I didn’t ask ?
N&C : N&C being a collaboration of male and female perspective and Anglo Franco sensibilities Chloé Claverie and Nick West hail from the suburbs of their respective cities of Paris and Dublin. They both came to photography through circuitous routes.
Chloé started as an art director and during her career worked for brands such as Givenchy and S.T. Dupont with DDB Paris, where she learnt the meticulous nature of working with luxury brands. Nick launched a self-taught photography career in London in 1996 after gaining creative confidence by directing actors in college. Early commissions for the BBC and Channel Four included portraiture of Keira Knightley and Will Smith. Nick’s work was exhibited in the V&A Museum in London in 1999 as part of a group exhibition marking the end of the century. Nick and Chloé joined forces in 2005 to form a photographic duo. Early work focused on kids and the imaginary tales of childhood. They shot the first cover for Milk Magazine. Clients include Levis, Vanity Fair, Kenzo, New Era and Sony. They have recently collaborated with Ilya Lipkin for the Based in Berlin art exhibition at The Hamburger Bahnhof, Museum for Modern Art. They recently shot 2 short films for the emerging brand of Zahia Dehar.
REPRESENTATION
PARIS : FLORENCE MOLL – www.florencemoll.com
NEW YORK : BERNSTEIN & ANDRIULLI – www.ba-reps.com/blog/
CHINE : BERNSTEIN & ANDRIULLI ASIA – www.ba-repsasia.com/blog/
ALLEMAGNE : F.A.Cesar Bespoke Images – www.facesar.com
Interviewed by Séverine Morel [email protected]
