MASTER OF THE ALT
ABOUT PARCHESI
He’s ‘not in the slaughterhouse’ - says Parchesi’s long-term agent - Parchesi works differently and longs to avoid the current scene of infertile creativity - having spent time in Japan and many European countries refining his own private version of fixation art, he never relies on over-abused and overused words that cannot even begin to describe Parchesi’s uniquely passionate style and concepts - his imitable eye is always focused on his first love - voyeurism through the traditional photographic medium - unedited, almost raw, powerful light and shadows are the tools of his final endeavor, always on genuine black and white film - created using most of the same equipment he’s worked with for over 30 years - the power exchange in his ideas is forever a two-way street - the subject and the artist never have diminished roles and continually feed off one another as the final masterpiece emerges - Parchesi strives to always give the final element of control to the subject, that’s what makes him different. Parchesi has the purity of his art - that demanding and exacting uncompromising and unfettered style is immediately recognizable, deep shadows, black and white - a strictly alternative perspective.
Colin Parchesi is a genuine film photographer and master of silver gelatin prints - known for his black-and-white portraits and for recreating the “other side” of human nature that the artist says “captures the art, the darkest of desires, the passion and the soul of what it is to be alternative”. He has also reinterpreted into photography classical sculptures through the ages, in his theatrical studies and portraits-engaging traditional applications of natural light, shadow, composition and form that is central to all of his work. Some of his work involves actual participants from Europe and the USA’s club scene’s, as his early exhibitions were mostly shown at major underground clubs in Berlin, London and San Francisco.
Concealing his true identity at these events wearing a velvet suit and mask, he signed his work Master C.P. only later revealing his true identity to loyal clients who became major collectors of his work - a client list that he still keeps secret.
Born 1962 in England, Parchesi became inspired by black and white film photography after seeing Metropolis the 1927 German expressionist science-fiction drama film directed by Fritz Lang. He became fascinated with the costume of the main character Hel and would attend grand masquerade balls and high fashion events to photograph the elaborate costumes and characters utilizing different techniques to photograph in low level light and always candidly. Light and shadow dominate his work.
A retrospective of Parchesi's work entitled a l t e r n a t i v e: has been collated from the thousands of film negatives and presented to the public for the first time in over 20 years. Today, his works can be found in the private collections in several countries.
A LIFE ON THE OTHER SIDE
Technical:
I create fine art with black and white film, medium-format and large-format [NO digital]
I hand develop and print all my film [wet process in the darkroom]
No digital manipulation of final output.
Creative process:
I direct and photograph the way I want, no compromise, I get out of bed to create not snap away like a machine operator
Conceptual, bizarre, fashion, human form [the finished art can only be judged by the beholder]
Over 30 years’ experience in film
I enjoy working with courteous amusing people
I dream in color and photograph in black and white.
I am open-minded, hate rules, censorship and jealousy
I do not live for social media; you can contact me via E-mail: [email protected]
PROCESS
Medium: Standard prints - Silver Gelatin Resin Coated Print (hand printed) and Silver Gelatin Fiber Prints by special order.Edition: 1/1 (signed on back)The Photograph comes unframed and with a Certificate of Authenticity and a Valuation/Verification Statement for Insurance Purposes.
ART ADVISORS, CURATORS AND COLLECTORS
LOOK BOOK BY REQUEST
ALL IMAGES HERE ARE LOW RES FOR WEBSITE PURPOSES ONLY - PLEASE CONTACT ME TO SEE MY UP TO DATE LOOKBOOK
[email protected]
