Le Royal Monceau - Raffles Paris Presents 'CELEBS' Exhibit

  • May 29, 2013
Le Royal Monceau - Raffles Paris Presents 'CELEBS' Exhibit
CELEBS brings together a magnificent collection of portraits of stars of the cinema (or le 7eme Art, as it is called in France) including Jack Nicholson, Sophia Loren, Lauren Bacall, David Lynch, Isabelle Huppert, Jodie Foster, Halle Berry, Robert Mitchum, Jean Marais and the Hollywood Svengali, producer Harvey Weinstein.

Bringing a touch of la Croisette to avenue Hoche, CELEBS is organized in conjunction with la Collection Privée Olivier di Chiara. The exhibition focuses particularly on the work of two photographers, André Rau and Xavier Martin, whose portraits of celebrities reveal both the private life and the glamorous public faces of their sitters.

Official photographer of the Cannes Film Festival for many years, André Rau started his career as assistant to the famous photographer Peter Lindbergh. Today he is acknowledged as one of the most respected beauty and fashion photographers of our time, with covers of Vogue, Vanity Fair, GQ, and ELLE to his credit. But it is for his insightful and powerful celebrity portraits that André is internationally known. Xavier Martin plied his trade as paparazzi before turning his lens to the more gentle art of celebrity portraiture. His subjects also include the great and not-so-good – from Serge Gainsborough and Iggy Pop to Robert Mitchum.

This fascinating exhibition shows Sophia Loren replying to phone calls during a break in a photo-shoot; an unselfconscious, young Jack Nicholson snapped on the terrace of Sénéquier in St Tropez, unaware of his fame to come; and a laid-back Will Smith caught in a moment that is surprising, touching and draws in the viewer.

“Ever since the hotel re-opened in 2011 we have actively sought to connect with this city's creative spirit. Our latest exhibition strengthens our links with cinema and photography, and spotlights the incredible talent artists who have all, in their own way, contributed to the brilliance and glamour that is the ‘7th Art' , as we call the movies, here in France, ” comments Omer Acar, General Manager.