Art Analysis: David LaChapelle's After the Deluge: Statue

After the Deluge: Statue by David LaChapelle, 2007.

It's truly my belief that no piece of art can be fully understood without some sort of an understanding for its creator, and David LaChapelle's work is no different. A renowned portrait photographer, LaChapelle is well known for his highly saturated, intricate, expensive, and at (many) times, erotic portrayals of icons in American pop culture. Some notable collaborations include, but are far from limited to: Tupac Shakur, Britney Spears, Michael Jackson, Andy Warhol, David Bowie, Mariah Carey and Hillary Clinton. LaChapelle's work as a portfolio has inspired me a lot, and his style and vision is definitely something to be studied. 

 Mariah Carey, 1999.                                Tupac Shakur, 1996.                                Britney Spears, 2000.

     

LaChapelle's After the Deluge series becomes even more interesting when we recognize it as a departure from portraiture. Allegedly, LaChapelle found it difficult to continue work in portrait photography, both for the sake of his own mental health as well as finding it increasingly difficult to continue producing work to be sold in magazines, as his shoots became increasingly aspirational as well as expensive. So, in 2006, he retreated to Maui to retire and join a nudist farming colony. 

Michelangelo, Last Judgment, Sistine Chapel, altar wall, fresco, 1534–41 (Vatican City, Rome)

2006 is also when LaChapelle would stay in Rome, Italy, where he would be taken on a private tour of the Sistine Chapel. This trip would be the catalyst for the creation of his After the Deluge series. Inspired by Michelangelo's famous fresco The Last Judgement, the works were created solely for exhibitions and galleries. LaChapelle is a bit elusive, and the shoot locations of a lot of his work is difficult to find, but we can assume these were produced either in Italy or Hawaii. Void of human subjects, the series explores a post-apocalyptic museum, flooded and defaced by time. 

In Statue, so much emotion can be understood despite its lack of human subject or expression. The color palette of this piece in particular is very desaturated, and is primarily composed of mint green, pink and cream. Color tone is used to communicate decay in this piece. Vibrant colors illuminate a room, and in a museum setting, would emphasize the detail of a white stone statue. Clearly, a long time has passed since this museum was filled with viewers, and the colors have faded and desaturated over time. Though the contrast of the bright, painted walls and lighting with the stone cherubs in the foreground remains, the scene is obviously not in the state of grandeur it was likely installed in. The result is a sad, wet, and ominous room one would not linger in for very long.

Lines and composition are an important factor in any photograph, and LaChapelle has used them functionally to frame the statue, as well as communicate a bit of story as well. Leading lines are prevalent in the ceiling, leading the viewer's eye towards mold sprouting from the ceiling and what appear to be lights or smoke alarms in the ceiling, a subtle touch of modern technology in an image that would otherwise be hard to place in time. Lines and layers of water damage on the walls are significant, as leading lines, as well as communicators of time and scale to the human eye. The doorway, which frames the figures, extends into the water, almost appearing like a portal, or a heavenly gateway beyond the destruction.

The muddy water on the floor of the image was also essential to the emotional response a viewer would receive from the image. A frame floats among the debris, as well as what looks like a shelf or bench against the wall. Water is both dangerous and beautiful; deadly and tranquil, and the natural human response to a flood is some mixture of fear and despair. Though the texture of the water is smooth, upon closer examination, what lies under the surface is likely jagged and dangerous. The presence of the water alone suggests danger.

I adore the feel of this piece, it reminds me of the internet legend of "the backrooms". Dystopian, apocalyptic settings are not something I would think to create, or capture, but it is very interesting to see the concept in full realization. I'd love to visit a LaChapelle gallery, and he has many open across the globe even currently, with some in New York, Milan, London and elsewhere. Here is a link to all of the current exhibitions from his website. This photo, or any LaChapelle piece, is something I would love to own. I think a lot of the art I own is derivative of his work, in fact, so it would fit right in. I'll have to start saving though, as it looks as though his prints sell in the six-digit range. Regardless, this photo has been my iPhone lock screen for a few days now, so though I'm breaking the artist's vision for the display of this great piece, it is sure being appreciated.

References

Camara, Dr. Esperança, and Dr. Esperança Camara. “Michelangelo, Last Judgment, Sistine Chapel.” Smarthistory, https://smarthistory.org/michelangelo-last-judgment/. 

“David LaChapelle: 'I Never Wanted to Shoot Another Pop Star – I Was Tortured by Them'.” The Guardian, Guardian News and Media, 21 Nov. 2017, https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2017/nov/21/david-lachapelle-photographer-hawaii-warhol. 

“David LaChapelle: Portraits.” Photographs-Portraits, https://www.davidlachapelle.com/photographs-portraits. 

“The Exhibition : M A D e i n a R T.” M A D E I N A R T RSS, https://madeinart.it/en/david-lachapelle-after-the-deluge/the-exhibition. 

Mun-Delsalle, Y-Jean. “David LaChapelle: From Fashion Photography to Fine Art.” Forbes, Forbes Magazine, 21 Sept. 2014, https://www.forbes.com/sites/yjeanmundelsalle/2014/09/19/david-lachapelle-from-fashion-photography-to-fine-art/?sh=d9039872023f.