Of selfies and pool parties

With around 40 small and medium-format, predominantly black and white photographs, the IMMAGIS Gallery in Munich is presenting not only Pigozzi’s famous and notorious Pool Party series, but also his latest oeuvre, ‘ME & CO’ – a cultural chronicle that the unofficial creator of the selfie began in 1974 and continues to this day. The images will be on display from June 22 to August 4, 2018.

The selfie project began at a Harvard party, when Jean took his first double portrait with Faye Dunaway: ingeniously and quickly, he approached the young actress, stretched up his arm, asked for permission and took the shot that was to launch a life-long passion. Back then, selfies were still frowned upon and, consequently, far from popular; but it was not long before every personality of significance was posing with the young photographer.

Pigozzi studied at Harvard, greatly admired Robert Frank, and preferred to spend his free time attending New York, high-society parties. That is where he took double-selfies with the likes of Steve Martin, John Belushi, Julie Christie, Arnold Schwarzenegger and Sylvester Stallone, as well as musicians such as Art Garfunkel, Grace Jones, Rod Stewart and Bono.

Over the decades there were also pictures with art icons like Andy Warhol and Ed Ruscha, blue-chip gallery owners like Larry Gagosian, and agitators like Ai WeiWei and Maurizio Cattelan – followed by female stars such as Catherine Deneuve, Daphne Guinness, Lady Gaga, Sarah Jessica Parker, Elle MacPherson and Cate Blanchett.

Please find more information at: Galerie Immagis

You can find a portfolio of Jean Pigozzi at: LFI 6/2017

Find a blog entry about Pigozzi on this page.