With the P!NK UP YOUR LIFE photography exhibition I wanted to bring a colorful spark into the cloudy and sometimes dull life in Basel. My inspiration came thus from the everyday life, the places, people and things surrounding me. “Pink” means to be different, positive and happy. For me no other color has a stronger positive connotation. I chose the Darth Vader mask as a symbol, as an example that even the darkest creatures can turn sweet and funny.
I thought that the use of chocolate would reinforce my idea so I decided to contact Roger Geiner, from Beschle Chocolatier Suisse. For awhile we’ve been wanting to work together on an art project involving chocolate. When I had the idea for P!NK UP YOUR LIFE, he was really enthusiastic and ready to get involved.
I worked with Nala Diagouraga and Enrique Lianno on this project. I knew Nala Diagouraga from some previous fashion shows and magazines covers such as Vogue, but this was the first time we got to work together. Enrique is a young model from Seville, Spain recommended to me by one of my makeup artists.
The P!NK project was made with a digital middle format camera. Pink has a wide range of shades and the objects that represent my vision. During our two days of shooting there were lots of preparations, team work definitely made this project a success. The lights were very important as well, I decided to I work with Broncolor, as it brings the best quality of studio lighting. On the other hand, the digital retouching is a big part of the work. It is very often that I spend more than two days working on a single image.
Beschle Chocolatier Suisse created the Darth Vader mask, a golden pistol covered partially in chocolate and the praline mask. The advertising materials for the project show the Darth Vader pink chocolate, and inside the package there was a link to the online preview of the P!NK UP YOUR LIFE exhibition. This collaboration was very successful in bringing joy to people.
Everyone feel in love with the chocolate, the tasty work gathered a lot compliments and smiles. Kate Shanley, director of Artnet, was delighted by the project and suggested that we should take part in the 2015 Artnet edition in New York, which I hope not to miss. Starting on August 28th three works from the P!NK project will be shown in the Proarta Galerie in Zurich. I hope to exhibit my work internationally in the near future.
