David LaChapelle: Last Supper

Through to October 29, 2023, the Tiroler Volkskunstmuseum in Innsbruck, Austria, presents works by world-renowned photographer David LaChapelle – including the iconic ‘Last Supper’ from which the exhibition title was derived.

While his work is not without controversy, David LaChapelle – who has been hailed as the “Fellini of photography” by New York Times Magazine – doubtlessly ranks among the great masters of contemporary photography. The Tiroler Volkskunstmuseum now hosts a display of five excerpts from the artist’s oeuvre, presented in collaboration with the Kunst in Seefeld (KiS) gallery.

At the centre of the showcase is the image ‘Last Supper’ – taken from the 2003 ‘Jesus Is My Homie’ series, for which the artist transposed biblical scenes into urban settings of modern-day America. Also featured are photographs from the series ‘Nature’s Naked Loveliness’ and ‘Awakened’, along with a lavish portrait of Hollywood actress Uma Thurman.

David LaChapelle (b. 1963) studied at the North Carolina School of the Arts before moving to New York, where Andy Warhol offered him his first professional photography job at the legendary Interview Magazine. This was followed by publications in leading magazines such as Paris Vogue, Vanity Fair and Rolling Stone – all of which enabled him to develop his unmistakeable visual style. Today, LaChapelle counts among the most celebrated photographers of our time, with exhibitions in renowned museums and galleries around the world.