Renowned British fashion photographer Miles Aldridge, celebrated for his hyper-saturated and meticulously staged imagery, is currently the focus of a connective project with TOILETPAPER magazine.

This blend has culminated in a special edition titled “TOILETMILES PAPERALDRIDGE,” accompanied by concurrent exhibitions at London’s Lyndsey Ingram Gallery and Sotheby’s.

A Dialogue Between Visionaries

Aldridge’s union with TOILETPAPER founders Maurizio Cattelan and Pierpaolo Ferrari is rooted in a shared fascination with heightened realities and the surreal. Aldridge notes, “Maurizio and I both deal in heightened realities, using irony and exaggeration to expose something deeper about contemporary life.”

This synergy is evident in the pages of “TOILETMILES PAPERALDRIDGE,” where their works engage in a visual dialogue that blurs the boundaries between fashion photography and contemporary art.

Curating a Cohesive Narrative

The selection of photographs for both the magazine and the exhibitions spans over two decades of Aldridge’s career. He approached this curation with the intent of creating a rhythmic and continuous mood, akin to assembling a film montage.

Despite the temporal breadth, the images share common elements: saturated color palettes, domestic settings as stages, and narratives imbued with ambiguity.

Aldridge likens this compilation to a collection of short stories that, when viewed together, form a cohesive, dreamlike cinematic universe.

Cinematic Influences and Narrative Depth

Aldridge’s work is deeply influenced by cinematic auteurs such as David Lynch, whose films create tension by presenting normalcy tinged with underlying unease.

Aldridge strives for a similar effect, crafting images that serve as film stills from nonexistent movies—moments suspended in time that invite viewers to delve into the unseen narratives beneath the surface.

Personal Reflections in Art

The themes of domesticity in Aldridge’s work are often reflective of his own experiences. Observing his mother as a housewife, he became intrigued by the performative aspects of domestic life—the maintenance of appearances amidst underlying tensions.

This duality is a recurring motif, exploring the contradictions between beauty and boredom, glamour and routine, control and chaos.

Interplay of Art History and Film Noir

Aldridge’s aesthetic is also shaped by art history and film noir. He draws inspiration from Vermeer’s use of light, the vivid colors of the Pre-Raphaelites, and the stark compositions characteristic of film noir.

These influences converge to create images that are both contemporary and timeless, rich with layered meanings and open to interpretation.

Exploring Objects with Narrative Weight

In works like “A Drop of Red” and “Red Marks #1,” Aldridge assigns narrative significance to objects, treating them with the same weight as human subjects.

Close-up shots distill the image to its most evocative form, encouraging viewers to lean in and engage with the subtle cues that hint at larger, unseen stories.

Exhibitions and Public Engagement

The exhibitions at Lyndsey Ingram Gallery and Sotheby’s not only showcase Aldridge’s work but also offer interactive experiences. At Sotheby’s, visitors have the unique opportunity to participate in Polaroid portrait sessions conducted by Aldridge, further blurring the lines between artist and audience, creator and subject.

Impression

Miles Aldridge’s connection with TOILETPAPER and the accompanying exhibitions serve as a testament to his enduring exploration of the hyper-surreal. Through a blend of personal reflection, cinematic influence, and art historical references, Aldridge continues to craft images that are visually arresting and rich with narrative complexity, inviting viewers into saturated worlds where the familiar is rendered uncanny.

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