Alchemy by Michel Leroy
The big reveal of the new year, ALCHEMY, my ongoing collaboration with professional athletes that celebrates the singular beauty of the human form and body acceptance opens in January 2018 at The Wall Body and Pole. I have been working on this project for over a year so I’m really thrilled to finally share the images and the project with everyone.
Artist Statement:
The Alchemy series is a collaboration with photographer Michel Leroy and a range of professional athletes that explores the tension between sensuality and physicality. The images are simple in form, but rich in ideas and emotions. Moments of sculptural balance, anticipation and strength define the graceful lines and impossible gestures of this vivid Black and White series.
In these nudes the artist creates body-positive images that are exaggerated and explicit without sexual objectification. The images are a celebration of athletic confidence and vitality at its most pure. By emphasizing form over identity, he seduce the viewer to reveal empathy for body acceptance that transcends the self-image obsession of social media. The process of transmuting the skin metallic unites the constellation of skin tones and strips bare preconceptions while illuminating physical radiance.
The images are notable for the tactile permanence of flesh revealed through the unique in-camera style he has developed over a year of experimentation. The technique is of great relevance and bears witness to the labour-intensive process reminiscent of a Daguerreotype in the pixel age. The result is a series that balances poise and precision celebrated through the singular beauty of the human form.
See the full Alchemy series on the custom site:
editions.michelleroyphoto.com
Show Opening:
https://www.facebook.com/events/338652386611082/
http://www.thewallatbodyandpole.com/
Alchemy by Michel Leroy photographer in the news:
“Exclusive Interview with Photographer Michel Leroy” by Yasmin Sucary for Art Market Magazine
“Alchemist Michel Leroy” Cover story and feature article in Lens Magazine
“The Human Body Transcends” by Bridget Schneider, writer at Resource Magazine
“Athletes in Black and White” by Chris Gampat, Editor Editor in Chief, The Phoblographer
Customer Spotlight: Michel Leroy’s new Exhibition “Alchemy” by Fotocare
“Sexy has no size” by Izabella Zaydenberg, body positivity writer at Revelist
I would also like to give special thanks to Manfrotto and PhotoShelter for their ongoing support of my work and this project in particular. I am also grateful for the trust and collaboration of all the athletes who helped make my idea a reality. Thank you.
