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I Created A Photography Project “Iconic” To Pay Tribute To Historic Figures Who Shaped The World As We Know It (30 Pics)
The photographic project ICONIC began in 2016 and evolved since then into a huge work of art and passion.
With the help of fashion designer Lucie Vervellea and visual and makeup artist Joris Souris, I was able to recreate with innovation and accuracy more than 150 photos of artistic and historic figures who shaped the world as we know it.
In order to make the project flawless, artistic and physiognomic skills were required as well as historic and biographic knowledge of each icon.
Here's a mesmerizing glimpse of this work. You can also check out my work at the links below.
More info: Instagram | etienneclotis.com | Facebook | Vimeo
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Kurt Cobain
I am Etienne CLOTIS photographer and director. I am passionate about images. I love to tell stories for 20 years already!
I am passionate about all forms of art, as a child, I did dance, singing and theatre, then I went back to the Conservatory to make films, but one day I fell in love with photography!
Michael Jackson
Freddie Mercury
The 70s Freddie could have worked wonders too, especially the ballet stuff! :-D
Alright, this can be broken down to be showing the first lyrics from "Bohemian Rhapsody," going from left to right: "I'm just a poor boy, nobody loves me!" Can't you see another little boy, dejected because nobody wants to play soldier with him? "Swear on his life from this monstrosity!" The "woman" just to his left looks as though she could be saying that, with crossed arms, serious face, and her no nonsense attitude! "Easy come easy go, will you let me go? NO! We will not let you go!" The crown and the regal look (-other than the shorts ONLY he's wearing under his cape-) give the impression that he is being TOLD that, but, the one raised eyebrow, gives the impression he's SAYING it. "Magnifico-o-o-o! Oh mama mia, mama mia, Beelzebub and the devil put aside for me, for me..." You get the impression he's saying THAT in the last one, because he's topless -it IS hot in hell, presumably where he's speaking of-, his one raised eyebrow -the devil wants me to do WHAT?!-, and his facing-
"Iconic" was born thanks to my passion for Marilyn Monroe, I find it extraordinary that someone who has died for years can still be so present in the collective culture.
One day I photographed a look-alike of Marilyn and it was the beginning of the creation of "Iconic". I partnered with a talented makeup artist, Joris Souris and a stylist who is passionate about her profession, Lucie Vervellea.
Carrie Fisher
Vincent Van Gogh
The challenge was to dive into the life of a character because it was not possible for me to just copy a photograph or a vague idea of the icon we wanted to photograph.
The goal was to get to know the character, to find my vision of his or her life! What period to represent? How to dress him or her? What’s gonna be recognizable? For that I read between 2 and 3 biographies per character, it takes a lot of time! But it was still an exciting adventure!
Janis Joplin
Frida Kahlo
"Iconic" represents three years of work, it is now a book with more than 180 photographs inside. It is with this book that I got my Master's in photography and I am very proud of it!
You can check out the book here!
David Bowie
Albert Einstein
Twiggy
Fabulous. Absolutely fabulous. Twiggy was a true sign of changing time.
Marlene Dietrich
Ray Charles
Napoléon
I actually love this. His posture, the clouds in the background. Very thoughtful piece.
Frank Sinatra
Elizabeth Taylor
This is a very powerful visual and a deep statement on Elizabeth's power and beauty if the day.
Bob Marley
Audrey Hepburn
The model looks like that singer Ariana Grande, but she is hardly iconic, unlike Hepburn.
Olivia Newton And John Travolta
Jackie Kennedy
white gloves would have been a dramatic touch. Still, a powerful image though.
James Dean
Alfred Hitchcock
Jimi Hendrix
Grace Jones
Louis Xiv
Maria Callas
Mohamed Ali
Nina Simone
Charlie Chaplin
Jeanne D'arc
I could be wrong, but my humble opinion is that this is not an accurate representation of the spirit of Jeanne D'arc. Fishnets? Really? This is the only one of these I didn't care for though.
Note: this post originally had 42 images. It’s been shortened to the top 30 images based on user votes.
To all the people who clammered on about how this person didn't look enough like so and so or that person didn't have the spark of such and such....really? Seriously? STFU. They're NOT the actual people so OF COURSE they don't look like them. In the cases that they do it's a major bonus but why do you have to go charging in with your negativity? Just shut up and look at the photos and by the way, why does everyone want to criticize everything? God, so rude.
There are some AMAZING likenesses here! Some made me wonder if they'd just taken the real photograph and tried to trick us! Super Job!!! ;-)
Just curious why Jackie O had to be covered in blood. They didn't show Jimi Hendrix or Janis Joplin OD'd, so it doesn't make sense. There are so many classy, beautiful pics of her that they could have done, but picked her most heart wrenching moment to portray?
To all the people who clammered on about how this person didn't look enough like so and so or that person didn't have the spark of such and such....really? Seriously? STFU. They're NOT the actual people so OF COURSE they don't look like them. In the cases that they do it's a major bonus but why do you have to go charging in with your negativity? Just shut up and look at the photos and by the way, why does everyone want to criticize everything? God, so rude.
There are some AMAZING likenesses here! Some made me wonder if they'd just taken the real photograph and tried to trick us! Super Job!!! ;-)
Just curious why Jackie O had to be covered in blood. They didn't show Jimi Hendrix or Janis Joplin OD'd, so it doesn't make sense. There are so many classy, beautiful pics of her that they could have done, but picked her most heart wrenching moment to portray?