French Artist David Ledoux embraces a multifaceted approach to photography, manipulating light, movement, and composition to create his unique photographic style. Ledoux is known for the meticulous precision he applies to each photograph, staging them as if they were scenes or tableaus. Initially trained in fine arts and painting, he has a robust relationship with using his hands to make portraits, representing life and people.
Ledoux‘s remarkable talent lies in his ability to create art that reflects his keen sense of discernment and sensitivity. His fashion photography is a testament to his diverse skills, which fluctuate between figurative and abstract representations.
In his latest project, the dynamic photographer David Ledoux collaborates with Aries and stylist Phoebe Arnold to launch ‘Gnarly‘. A cloth-bound hardback boasts 118 lithographic prints, both in colour and black and white, illustrating Ledoux’s compelling record of youth culture in the Basque region, southwest France. His imagery pays homage to what it’s like to live, surf and skate on the coast near Biarritz.
Opening on May 25th, the two-level Aries flagship store will host a public exhibition, showcasing select photographs from ‘Gnarly‘ by Ledoux and premiere screenings of unseen films depicting the development of ‘Gnarly’.” Phoebe Arnold discovered Ledoux’s photographs on Instagram and was captivated by his authentic approach to capturing the people around him.
David’s ability to make his subjects feel at ease allowed him to transition from photographing everyday people to high fashion, earning him recognition in publications like Dazed and Confused, Vice, and Intersection Magazine. Last summer, David informed Phoebe that he would be relocating to Portugal, and they began discussing this project, which has now come to fruition.
Gnarly launches Thursday, May 25th, priced at £38 GBP / €45 Euro / $45 USD and will be available to buy from www.aries.com and in-store. The exhibition will run from Thursday, May 25th – Monday, June 5th, at Aries Store, 31 Great Pulteney Street, W1F 9NN and is open to the public.
A book signing with David Ledoux will take place on May 25th and signed copies of Gnarly will be available to purchase exclusively in-store.
Aries also partners with White Claw to create a capsule collection lensed by David images. The campaign and collection capture the surf scene and skate culture of Biarritz, an infamous seaside town on France’s southwestern Basque coast.
©2023 Aries, David Ledoux
Len is a curator and a contributing writer at Art Plugged, a platform for contemporary art; he also engages in web development, design, and marketing.
