😃 I found this 2 beautiful series of Milla Jovovich by Mario Sorrenti and Peter Lindbergh. As I always write in this new column, stars are not art models, not at all. But as usual, there are exceptions to a rule and the celebrities I publish did a pretty good work. Milla Jovovich is the fifth to touch me. I'm looking for others but the reseach could be long and unsuccessful... More to trash than to exhibit!
In Purple Magazine 2009 issue 12
Olivier Zahm : How did the shoot with Mario Sorrenti go?
The feeling was beautiful and intimate, like we were creating a song or a poem with these photographs. I felt like I was part of the process. Before it was like, “I’m the model, you’re the photographer.” But this time there was a synergy. We were helping each other express ourselves. Mario and I have been friends for over ten years, so I’m very comfortable shooting with him. We care about each other. He’s a friend I totally trust. These are the first nudes I’ve done in over ten years, what with getting married and having a baby and everything. I got married when I was 22 and I felt like I shouldn’t do nudes anymore. Then after I got divorced the opportunity didn’t present itself. I did do nudes a couple of times with Peter Lindbergh, but it had been a long time. I had my clothing company, which took up five years of my life. I was working on films. I had a baby.
Wasn’t it Avedon who discovered you?
No, it was Herb Ritts. Actually, it was the photographer Gene Lemuel. You should see his stuff, you’d love it. He’s very underground. A real artist, and a poet. He took my first test pictures. He showed them to Herb in LA and the next day Herb hired me for the cover of Lei, the Italian magazine. I was 11. Then Avedon hired me for Mademoiselle. There was a big controversy about that. But it all took off from there. I posed for Scavullo, Peter Lindbergh, and all the guys. All when I was 11, 12, and 13. I never posed nude, but it was still controversial. Christian groups harassed Avedon, claiming he was shooting child pornography. Mademoiselle didn’t want to put me on its cover, but Avedon said if they didn’t he’d never work for them again. He really supported me in the beginning, really jump-starting my career. So it’s been a long journey. But after 25 years, I still feel like I’m just getting started!
But you must have fit right in at the time! Purple started in 1992. It was a moment of change in fashion.
Yes, that’s when I met Mario Sorrenti and Terry Richardson. Actually, I didn’t like the work I did as a child model. I wasn’t into the late-’80s esthetic. But I really started enjoying modeling when I came back. We had an amazing group of friends, David and Mario Sorrenti, and Terry. And Frank B, who was still assisting Mario, had just started to do make-up. Mario took that picture of me for the cover of i-D, the crazy clown thing. That was Frankie’s first make-up job. It was like all these kids together doing stuff.
Like the empty room in which you did the shoot with Mario.
Exactly. We had to fill it with ourselves. We were able to express ourselves because there was nothing else in the room and no one saying anything.
For the Face Magazine June 1997
For Marie Claire
For Vanity Fair, Italia, December 2016
For Vogue Italy, 1998
And
1 comment:
Gorgeous work! Love Milla.
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