In 1970, Ian Berry, freshly returned from a gruelling trip across three continents, found himself in the small Paris flat of French singer and pop-culture icon Serge Gainsbourg - which he shared with his partner, the English singer and actress Jane Birkin. The pair shared a relationship often played out in the public eye, through photographs, but also through music – evidenced not least by the duet 'Je t'aime… moi non plus', which would be banned in several countries because of its lyrical content. Berry was not well-acquainted with the work of either celebrity, and suspected that he landed the assignment thanks to a sympathetic Magnum staffer — under the impression that the photographer would appreciate an easy-going job given his recent travels. Berry spent the day with the pair - shopping, eating with them, and at one pivotal point finding himself in their room. “I honestly can’t remember how we ended up in the bedroom, but anyway – they just went on with their life as it were and I followed them around shooting…,” recalls Berry, “They were both terrific… Maybe people just were more relaxed back then.” In spite of being a highly popular image, it is something of an anomaly for a photographer who rarely worked with pop culture figures: “It’s really not the sort of image I normally make. I have never been a singer-actor-type photographer. I mean, I’m the guy who got assigned to go and shoot The Beatles in Jamaica and managed to arrive the day after they left. That's about my score on photographing personalities…”
Specification
Gelatin silver print
Open edition
Estate stamped
11 x 14 in / 28 x 36 cm
16 x 20 in / 40 x 50 cm
20 x 24 in / 50 x 60 cm
Shipping
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