Guillaume de Sardes' Erotic Photography at Galerie Myriam Bouagal

Guillaume de Sardes, a dandy, writer, and photographer, presents "Vies secrètes" at Galerie Myriam Bouagal in Paris until January 17, 2015. The exhibition features a dozen photographs and a video exploring an eroticism blending intimacy and fiction. His work references art history, such as a photograph at the Museo di Capodimonte depicting the nymph Salmacis and Hermaphrodite, and juxtaposes a Virgin and Child detail with a lover's arched body. A diptych contrasts a sacred image with a sado-masochistic scene. A kitchen setting shows a young woman whose commanding gaze challenges the male gaze and objectification. Influenced by Helmut Newton, the images are complex and draw from sources beyond erotic or fashion photography, sharing an unease with Michael Ackerman's grainy, blurred aesthetic.