On August 14 "A Message for You, by Guy Bourdin" opened at MuBe (The Brazilian Museum of Sculpture) as part of its Iguatemi Photo Series. This exhibition, open through August 31, is the first time Bourdin's work will be shown in the Americas. Whitewall had the pleasure of speaking to Bourdin's son, Samuel, about the exhibition and the impact his father has had on the advertising industry and contemporary photography.
WHITEWALL: Before becoming a photographer, Guy Bourdin was a painter. How do you think that background influenced his photography?
SAMUEL BOURDIN: Guy Bourdin started out in fine arts by doing drawings, very meticulous ink drawings of cats. He had exhibits of these drawings in New York and Paris in the mid-fifties. At the same time he started experimenting with photography. He had started doing photography during his military service in Senegal in the late forties. He used to tell me how, with a friend from his military service they used to do street photography of food vendors at local markets and develop the pictures to sell them to those vendors before the end of the market day. He also used to get up early to mop the floors at the Samaritaine (a famous Grand Magasin in Paris) to earn extra money to buy photography equipment.
Alll his life he drew and painted. I have many of his beautiful paintings. He was an avid student of Art. Had extensive knowledge of classical painting as well as a fascination for great filmmakers such as Erich Von Stroheim and Hitchcock among others. As a painter his approach to image making is completely different from conventional fashion photographer. He was more of an image maker/composer. His work went beyond just taking a fashion picture. I think he used fashion photography as a vehicle to take a picture. It gave him the means and environment to exercise part of his artistic drive. Many people do not understand that his images are fictions, creations of the mind built in the context of the fashion industry. Although he never despised fashion as an industry and creative field I don't think he was really concerned about it. We never went to a fashion show nor were we involved in buying clothes. All our clothed were made by his Austrian girlfriend.
WW: Your father was perceived to have a scandalous life. How do you think this is reflected in his work?
SB: Guy Bourdin never had a scandalous life. If he was not working on photo assignments he would retire to his grandmother's cottage in Normandy and paint, taking long walks in the country side. There seems to be a misunderstanding concerning his long term relationships. My mother died of a heart condition in 1971. I think they had been together for about 20 years. He subsequently spent ten years with his Austrian girlfriend who committed suicide in December of 1980. It was a great loss for everyone concerned. Professionally it took him a few years to regain his bearings from such a tragic loss. When he was happy his work was the best. That is why most people consider the decade of the seventies as his best. He had reached maturity as a photographer and had a rewarding personal life.
WW: This is the first time that his work will be shown in the Americas. Of what importance is that to you and his legacy?
SB: My father started showing his work - drawings and photography - in the mid-fifties. He was part of a show curated by Robert Delpire in the seventies. His work was also published in numerous photo magazines all over the world. I think he would be very happy to see that his work is being shown all over the world thanks to Shelly Verthime's relentless efforts and dedication.
WW: What kind of impact would you say Guy Bourdin has had on fashion photography?
SB: I think that because of my father's approach as an image maker/composer and his preoccupation for composition, textures, and colors (all of which are related to painting) it's very hard for other photographers to emulate his work. He also revolutionized the advertising industry as far as product placement, image narrative is concerned. I think that he was doing what is called storytelling in branding and marketing decades before those principles were brought to people's attention.
